Frightened Rabbit - Old Old Fashioned (Live @ (Le) Poisson Rouge) from Ray Concepcioñ on Vimeo.
I'll turn off the TV
It's killing us who never speak
There's a radio in the corner
It's dying to make a scene
So give me soft, soft static
With a human voice underneath
And we can both get old fashioned
Put the brakes on these fast, fast wheels
Oh let's get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
Put the wall clock in the top drawer
Turn off the lights so we can see
We will waltz across the carpet
1-2-3-2-2-3
So give me the soft, soft static
Of the open fire and the shuffle of our feet
We can both get old fashioned
Do it like they did in '43
Oh let's get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
So give me soft, soft static
We won't need no electricity
If we both get old fashioned
We won't have to rely on our memories
Oh let's get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
a day to celebrate.
I am conducting a survey for my Social Science Survey Methods class on participation in green energy programs offered through your utility. This survey is completely anonymous, and takes only a minute or two to complete.
Whether or not you participate in this type of program, I'd appreciate your help:
Click Here to take survey
Playing around with a new template for baloghblog. Tell me what you think, or if you are having problems viewing anything.
And, since I haven't put up a pic of Anna recently:
Still waiting for that Gerber Baby or Carters contract...
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And, since I haven't put up a pic of Anna recently:
Still waiting for that Gerber Baby or Carters contract...
1) Stop investing in exploration and development now to save money when the price of oil is low.
2) Create increased shortages in oil production 3-5 years out.
3) Reap record profits as oil prices skyrocket.
Hmmm... this peak oil thing doesn't sound too bad for oil companies. (At least initially.)
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2) Create increased shortages in oil production 3-5 years out.
3) Reap record profits as oil prices skyrocket.
Hmmm... this peak oil thing doesn't sound too bad for oil companies. (At least initially.)
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0413/096-sachs-semgroup-goldman-goose-oil.html
The level of "alleged" corruption by these "too big to fail" banks and Goldman Sachs (which seems to be a government sponsored enterprise) is staggering. Even peak-oilers have to admit the price rise was not solely due to supply/demand issues.
Story found and discussed here: http://cryptogon.com/?p=7726
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When oil prices spiked last summer to $147 a barrel, the biggest corporate casualty was oil pipeline giant Semgroup Holdings, a $14 billion (sales) private firm in Tulsa, Okla. It had racked up $2.4 billion in trading losses betting that oil prices would go down, including $290 million in accounts personally managed by then chief executive Thomas Kivisto. Its short positions amounted to the equivalent of 20% of the nation's crude oil inventories. With the credit crunch eliminating any hope of meeting a $500 million margin call, Semgroup filed for bankruptcy on July 22.
But now some of the people involved in cleaning up the financial mess are suggesting that Semgroup's collapse was more than just bad judgment and worse timing. There is evidence of a malevolent hand at work: oil price manipulation by traders orchestrating a short squeeze to push up the price of West Texas Intermediate crude to the point that it would generate fatal losses in Semgroup's accounts.
[snip]
Meanwhile the futures markets had gotten wacky. On June 5, with no news catalysts, oil futures spiked $5 a barrel, the biggest one-day jump since the outbreak of the first Gulf war. The next day, on no news, the price jumped another $10 to $138. Traders say that in the days leading up to the $147 peak on July 12 there was the smell of blood in the water. "We just kept bidding the market higher," one trader says.
The level of "alleged" corruption by these "too big to fail" banks and Goldman Sachs (which seems to be a government sponsored enterprise) is staggering. Even peak-oilers have to admit the price rise was not solely due to supply/demand issues.
Story found and discussed here: http://cryptogon.com/?p=7726
I'm not so sure about this whole thing...
Yea! I love the fresh air, and what is this giant lamp? I love lamp.
Me and my Dad
My new office:
It's temporary, but it is nice to have a place to get my work done. Now if I could just get my hands on a nice big grant...
Dr. Balogh does have a nice ring to it...
Sent from my iPhone
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It's temporary, but it is nice to have a place to get my work done. Now if I could just get my hands on a nice big grant...
Dr. Balogh does have a nice ring to it...
Sent from my iPhone
She's getting bigger each day. She's starting to make a lot of cooing
sounds.
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sounds.
Today was the first day that she "found" her right hand. It
immediately went in her mouth. She loves her stuffed animal friends,
and her kicking-bopping gym (don't ask!)
She is such a blessing. We couldn't be happier.
School is going well. I've started work on my thesis. About ten months to go.
I'm looking forward to spring and getting outdoors. I can't wait for Anna to lounge in the green grass and check out the trees, the sky, and the great big world out there beyond our four walls.
FYI, we went with the g-diapers with the flushable inserts. So far, so good.
11/19/08 @ 4:06 p.m. 6 lb. 10 oz.
Mom and baby are doing well. We couldn't be happier!
As the hulking monstrosity that is the Carousel Mall expansion grows from a pile of steel beams to a structure with more discernible features, this article comes out in the NY Times:
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A Squeeze on Retailers Leaves Holes at Malls
More from the article:
All bode poorly for the new space.
Bob Neidt of the Storefront column and blog at the Post-Standard writes on the same topic. Answering a letter from a reader, he supposes that some of the retailers in cramped spaces may want larger digs in the new expansion (Apple Store, Best Buy, etc.) But he worries about those "holes" too.
Surely this is tongue in cheek. But one does have to wonder what the future of Carousel Mall holds.
As long as they get a Ruth's Chris in there, I'll shut up about it. (heh heh)
In larger shopping malls, operators have not yet had to resort to giving away their space to attract tenants, but most landlords are facing mounting challenges these days. Vacancies are up, retail sales have been disappointing, and long established chains like Mervyn’s, Linens ‘n Things, Boscov’s and the Sharper Image have filed for bankruptcy protection, raising the specter of more dark spaces with fewer potential tenants to replace them.Congel has kept tight-lipped about who or what would be going into the expansion space. Which store will anchor it? How many other clothing or specialty retailers are out there? Will a majority of the space sit with plywood covers painted in murals of DestinyUSA dreams? Will Congel figure out a way to attract good restaurants, and keep them profitable?
Some 6,500 chain stores are expected to close this year, the largest number since 2001, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade group. When stores close, neighboring stores may be entitled to exit or to have their rent lowered.
More from the article:
The vacancy rate for regional malls is 6.3 percent, the highest since 2002. Though mall rents rose by 0.2 percent from the first quarter to the second, all retail rents are down when inflation is taken into account, Mr. Chandan said. New centers that opened in the first half of this year were just 62.8 percent occupied, on average, compared with 72.1 percent for those that opened last year, he said.I won't spend too long pointing out the obvious - that workers real wages are stagnant while food and energy costs are soaring. Consumer confidence in the economy is poor and keeping people at home. Even the dollar, which is strengthening, is bad news for Carousel. Canadians' reduced purchasing power and high fuel costs may keep them north of the border.
(emphasis mine)
All bode poorly for the new space.
Bob Neidt of the Storefront column and blog at the Post-Standard writes on the same topic. Answering a letter from a reader, he supposes that some of the retailers in cramped spaces may want larger digs in the new expansion (Apple Store, Best Buy, etc.) But he worries about those "holes" too.
We've been so frustrated with the lack of detail about anything new possibly coming to the expansion -- I haven't been calling it "Destiny," either -- we've been dwelling on the potential vast emptiness of the expansion. Maybe focusing a little too much on that...Will Carousel turn in to a microcosm of the Central NY area? Little to no growth but additional sprawl? Will tenants flee the central (older mall) to the new eastern burbs, like city residents fleeing to Fayetteville/Manlius? Will we see Driscoll and Congel offering redevelopment funds for the vacated core of Carousel?
Surely this is tongue in cheek. But one does have to wonder what the future of Carousel Mall holds.
As long as they get a Ruth's Chris in there, I'll shut up about it. (heh heh)
A sad day. I haven't been to a Dave Matthews Band show in a while, but I have to say some of LeRoi's sick jams were near ecstasy to me.
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Here's a fine example from Woodstock 99. See from about 5 min on. (We danced our asses off to this one...)
Damn. I feel slightly nauseous. The world lost one of its finer musicians today.
[when you're old]
[moment of zen]
[tropical blue-green in good ol' Syracuse]
This is not investment advice, only rambling thoughts from a economic ignoramus.
The goldbugs got screwed over the past few weeks. The market is buying dollars again, after the Euro zone has started to contract. Some kind of intervention may or may not be taking place. Regardless, this chart gave me pause.
Looks very bubblicious to me! I am no economist (believe me, other than listening to CNBC on Sirius, and reading Mish, I have absolutely no training in economics), this is not investment advice. I do know what a "double top" in a market is, and I think that that is a picture perfect version of it.
Like the X-Files, I still want to believe. Perhaps there is a magic number on that chart that will start to look attractive to me and to other investors. I'll let you know if I hop on the gold bandwagon. I just feel bad for the few doomers out there that might have been suckered into dumping a fair bit of their life savings in gold, only to watch 21% of it evaporate since March.
(new life)
I'll be away from the computer for a few days... Going camping.
(you have to give Wegmans kudos for bringing in the fresh local food)
(summer's day)
playing around with the new features...
"mornin"
"as far as the eye can see"
UPDATE: Note to self. Make sure you don't start a photo of the day prior to going on vacation. (especially when you can't figure out the "future post" on blogger)
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"ghosts"
I bought a new digital camera yesterday. I love it. So I'll try to put up a new picture each day (and see how long I can last at it.) Here's the first.
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[black-eyed susans in the front garden]
Having been tormented myself by "the noise" in the town of Geddes last winter and into this summer, I feel this couple's pain. That said, for what ever reason, I haven't heard the noise in weeks. Perhaps it's vacationing in Green Bay for the summer?
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Green-Bay Press:
It all sounds so familiar... Ehrfurths, does it sound like this (mp3)?
For two years now, the Ehrfurths have been enduring an annoying, persistent noise in their home — a low, motor-like rumble accompanied by a vibration. They can't figure out what's causing it, and it's been a challenge getting others to believe them because the problem starts and stops.
They've lived in the house at 2048 Mary Queen Road for 42 years, and it's only been the last two years that it's been a problem.
"It's like there's a semi parked right outside with the engine running, but when you look out, there isn't one," said Leona Ehrfurth, 76.
And it quits at the most inconvenient times. Like when they bring city officials, acoustic experts or news reporters into their house to experience the problem.
As I sit here, taking a break from life, far, far away from home...
The beer tastes cold and crisp, the warm sun being replaced by a cool breeze from off shore, and the birds are circling lazily on the updrafts. All feels well for the time being. But, like a distant rumble of thunder and a flash of light on the horizon, a feeling of uneasiness nags at me - a soft pang of guilt rolls into my subconscious.
"What have I done over the past 3 years to prepare for what approaches over the horizon?"
"What could I have done that would have been 'enough'?"
The answer to those questions appear to be not enough and it's never enough.
So in order to come to grips with those thoughts and emotions, I'll do what I always do to work through overwhelming periods in my life... I'll make a list. What should I do to fulfill my dreams, and to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground? Where should I be now or in the near future?
I should be in a home with a low mortgage payment and taxes, perhaps one I've designed myself, more likely one that I've made changes to, to suit my family's needs. It should be in walking distance to the grocery store, shops, and services. Public transportation should be convenient and my friends and family nearby. I should know my neighbors' names within 3 homes on either side. My plot of land should be manageable and I'd enjoy the bounty of a small productive garden and a range of fruit and nut trees.
Ideally, my home would be extremely energy efficient and insulated, and require only a small wood stove to keep us warm through the winter and several fans to keep us cool in the hot summer. This 'dream house' would include a small solar array to provide enough power for the lighting in each room, to run a high-efficiency chest freezer, the coffee pot, the computer, a stereo and occasionally a small LCD TV. The grid would supply the remaining electricity to power the refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and washing machine1. A solar hot water heater would provide hot water for showers in the summer, and an on-demand hot water heater would do the same in the winter, as well as radiant floor heating for the bedrooms in the winter, for the nights that the wood stove just won't cut it. Homemade insulation inserts would complete the heating (and cooling) system - fitting snugly in the windows. The clothes dryer would be a fading memory, replaced by a clothesline in the summer and a highly efficient centrifuge and drying racks/lines in the winter.
Our basement would contain an extensive pantry with non-perishables, jarred fruit and veggies, cooking oils and vinegar. A cold cellar would hold a large sack of potatoes and squash, as well as a few bushels of apples to last the winter and spring. The cool sanctuary of the basement would also transform from a hibernation den in the winter to a family sleeping area in the hot muggy summer nights. Beds, blankets and sleeping bags would come out on the 90+ degree days, as we took advantage of the geothermal cooling.
Plants in every room of the house would improve air quality, provide medicine, herbs for cooking, and natural air fresheners.
Our garage would be well organized and contain a variety of well cared for and functional tools. Gardening tools would hang on one wall, wood working and assorted electrical and plumbing tools on another. A variety of reclaimed hardwood boards, pipes, clamps, screws and the like, would make emergency trips to the hardware store a thing of the past. Aged wood would sit stacked and dry in its rack. Bins for recycling and reuse would make taking the garbage out a snap. Our trash pick up would consist only of a single 30 gallon trash pail that is taken out once every two weeks2. The remainder would be stacked, sorted, reused and recycled. Paper recycling would be minimized as the flow of junk mail would become a trickle. Cans, plastic containers, and jugs saved to become planters and short term storage of dried non-perishables. No plastic bags would enter our waste stream, due to our diligent use of reusable bags. Food scraps would be more easily composted in our new bin system, which is supplemented by twice weekly pick-ups of used coffee grounds from a local coffee shop.
I would wear three hats at work: a part-time medical provider, a part-time environmental/energy consultant, and a part-time stay at home dad. I enjoy all three jobs, the medical care provides the bulk of our income, the environmental work satisfies my technical and creative side, and having time at home a few days a week with the family is worth the foregone income, and allows my wife to continue working.
We live simply, minimizing non-essential purchases, saving cash for large purchases, camping trips and trips to see the relatives. Our monthly bills are low, and our savings comparatively high. Our small obligations mean our 3 month emergency fund could probably stretch to half a year, and our stocked pantry shelves and freezer protect us from food inflation and any shortages of essential goods. Half the freezer holds vacuum sealed veggies and fruits from the summer months, the other half holds beef and pork from a local farmer cut into small packages. Freezer jam, a stash of chocolate, and homemade pudding pops (yes a necessity) fill in the empty spaces. The refrigerator looks decidedly bare without the usual containers and bottles of processed food. Sure a few bottles of condiments are still on the shelf, but mostly fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, homemade yogurt, milk and juice - along with some glass left over containers take up the shelf space. This week's pizza dough is making its second cold rise. Now that food is expensive, not a bit goes to waste. Bones and grizzle get turned into stock. Leftover veggies, rice, beans, etc. find their way into the "Saturday night special" - a rich and spicy soup.
In the bathroom, two plastic buckets sit under the counter. Turning a small dial diverts the sink water into the first bucket. The second goes over the shower drain to collect water while the shower water heats up. Natural and biodegradable soap and shampoo sit on the rack. The reuse of greywater compliments the rainwater collected off of the front and back gutter downspouts. The front collector is just a large watering can used to keep the front flower and herb garden watered, and in the back there is a rain barrel with a stopcock and drip hose threaded through the garden. During dry spells the gravity fed system keeps the veggies irrigated. The recent addition of an outdoor shower allows greywater to directly soak through our lawn and into the roots of the fruit trees.
Ideally our transportation would consist of a fancy new electric car, with an on board recharger for longer trips. However, I'd be very happy with a small gas-sipping car that is little used. I'd really like an electric assist bike to navigate the hills around our house. The bike would have range enough to make it to the store, and would have an attached cart to haul the kids or supplies.
We've made (or have started to make) many of the changes listed above. However, many things remain on the to-do list. Some cost more money than we have at our disposal right now. Most, however, require just time and dedication to complete.
It's my goal to list our projects publicly on my blog. One - to show others what we're working on and two - to give myself a bit of motivation.
I'd welcome your thoughts and ideas on this issue. What did I forget? What else are you working on? Please leave me a comment, or contact me at steve AT groovygreen * com.
1 It is my belief that the number of years to a disruption of the power grid are measured in decades. Even if power were to become "inconvenient" I believe that the appliances mentioned could be used intermittently, or worked around.
2 As the price of fuel continues to climb, twice weekly trash pickups may become the norm.
