September 26, 2008

Friday Ark #210

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Note Bene: Boardings have been and will be fewer this sailing as the Modulator Family and Ark Staff spend pretty much all their time this weekend on wedding activities for the eldest Modulator child, well not really a child, he is definitely a fine young adult now: Congratulations Ben and Kelly!

Cats

Birds

Other Vertebrates

Dogs

Invertebrates

In Memoriam

September 24, 2008

More Skeletons From the Closet

Another collection of Grateful Dead memorabilia is going on the auction block. Most of it from Vince Welnick's collection but some material from Pig Pen, John Kahn and Rock Scully stuff as well.

Including A Rock Scully metal attaché case used to transport important items for The Grateful Dead while on tour, 1960s-1980s:

scully%20stash.jpg
One can wonder what important items besides the band's payroll might have travelled in this case.

For the tapers there is this collection of soundboards from Welnick's time with the band:

welnicksoundboards.jpg
We may be mostly digital now and some didn't like the '90s Dead much but this is enough to bring tears of desire to anyone who collected few or many GD tapes over the years.

Too bad this stuff is selling into a poor economic environment. Too bad I don't have a few extra worth less today greenbacks.

Posted by Steve on September 24, 2008 | Comments (3)

September 23, 2008

Bailout Fallout?

I wonder just how much the value of Manchester United's blue kit has fallen since AIG demonstrated their worthlessness:

manutd%20aig.com

The Korean proprietor of our local dry cleaners pointed to his Man U jersey today, right at the AIG letters, and said "No good!

Posted by Steve on September 23, 2008

Choking On My Coffee....

In his notes on today's theft bailout hearings Mike Nizza says in the 9:51 segment:

It may come as no surprise that the world’s greatest deliberative body is expressing a bipartisan feeling against rushing things too fast.
The rest of the world is really in deep doodoo if the us congress is the world's greatest deliberative body.

Perhaps it is. It is also an abject failure at everything but serving its masters and its masters are not the people.

The british parliament is good at serving its masters as well but at least it gives us the prime minister's Questions.

Posted by Steve on September 23, 2008

September 20, 2008

Who's Going to Pretend to Solve Our Financial Problems?

Well, of course, the folks who created them in the first place:

The ruling class is the state. The state exists to serve the interests of the ruling class, and only the interests of the ruling class. They may promise you greater unemployment benefits, better health care, and a host of other government benefits -- all benefits also paid for by you, please note (the ruling class does have a sense of humor, after all; vampires are often crudely funny creatures) -- and those promises will cause most Americans to fall for the con still one more time.

Whatcha gonna do? Not a goddamned thing. Vote for McCain! Vote for Obama! It doesn't matter. The ruling class wins either way. The ruling class always wins. That's how the system was designed, and that's how it works. For the ruling class, it works very admirably.

You really should be reading Arthur regularly!

Posted by Steve on September 20, 2008 | Comments (1)

Happy Retirement to Ruby

Ruby, of GDTS TOO, one of my long time favorite people is retiring!

I've never met Ruby but through the years she and the rest of the folks at GDTS TOO have provided a wonderful service and delivered great tickets to great Grateful Dead shows over and over again!

Thanks Ruby!

GDTS TOO has a great repository of envelope art:

envelopePhil.jpg

Check out the rest at the bottom of their home page.

Ruby's announcement email is under the flap

GDTSTOO] Ruby's retirement

Ruby here, I am very sorry and wish I wouldn't have to tell you this,
but it's time for me to retire. Nothing horrible, it's just time for me
to go after 26 years on the same seat.

I want to tell you all that I have enjoyed every single minute
of this job and you have been the best crew of patrons any
band could possibly have. Thank you so much.

I look forward to spending more time with my family and
my children who have often thought I worked way to much.

GDTSTOO will survive. I am passing GDTSTOO@gdtstoo.com
on to my long time partner Frankie, so let me get her to tell you
what is next:

Greetings, this is a hard day for us here at GDTSTOO. The fun
scale went down a whole notch! We will miss Ruby with all
of our hearts. A few things around the office will change like
our customer service number but for the most part we
will still maintain the same pace and commitment as per
usual. Any changes will be posted to our website.
And now back to Ruby.......

I won't have an email for a while because I'm moving to the
boonies and it might be a minute before I figure that out. But I
won't totally disappear. I will drop by from time to time to check in.

The Crew of GDTSTOO
September 19, 2008

--

"Wake up to find out
that you are the eyes of the world....."

Robert Hunter

Web Site: http://www.gdtstoo.com
email: GDTSTOO@gdtstoo.com
Customer Service Number: (415) 898-2364
Monday-Friday,9 am-6pm, PST.
To subscribe to our email announce list, send empty email to
GDTSTOO-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Posted by Steve on September 20, 2008

September 19, 2008

Friday Ark #209

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Other Vertebrates

Dogs

Birds

Invertebrates

In Memoriam

  • x

Didn't Make It

Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)

  • x

Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.

Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:

Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.

For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.

Dog folks: remember to submit your links to:

  • The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe
  • The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings
    • has been out of operation since July 2007

For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival

Posted by Steve on September 19, 2008 | Comments (3)

September 18, 2008

Nothing Good Can Come From...

...the NSA collaborating with the Chinese government.

Yet, governments collaborate and disagree all the time and, well, nothing good comes of it...

It is just a bit disheartening to see the US government in bed with Chinese on issues around privacy.

Posted by Steve on September 18, 2008

Birdscape's Beginners Guide to Bird Blogging

You will find a fine bird blogging primer and plenty of links to great pics and posts in I and the Bird #84: A Beginner's Guide to Bird Blogs at Auduban Birdscapes.

Fly on over and join the party.

Posted by Steve on September 18, 2008

September 17, 2008

Why Galveston?

There is much ado about the devastation of Galveston by hurricane Ike. However, there would be little chatter about this if Galveston were not there and Galveston would not be there in anywhere near the form it was in before the storm without some failed incentives for people to build on that barrier island. From the above linked Fox News story:

Barrier islands like Galveston are particularly vulnerable to storm damage because they are made of sand, as opposed to the hard bedrock that underlies larger islands and the mainland.

They also tend to have very low elevations, making it easy for water to wash over and submerge the island.

Many have questioned the wisdom of choosing to build on and develop barrier islands, given their risks.

Why, then, have so many ignored what look to be obviously significant risks?

Perhaps someone has reduced the risks for the folks who have built out Galveston. One way of doing that would be for insurance companies to offer wind insurance.

But any wise insurance company would surely charge such a high annual premium that it would be prohibitive for any one to build on Galveston Island. If they can't charge a high enough rate they won't offer the insurance. To wit:

Allstate dropped windstorm coverage for nearly 65,000 policyholders last year, and other companies, such as State Farm, stopped coverage within 2,500 feet of the coast.

In the wake of the disastrous 2005 storm season in which hurricanes Katrina and Rita battered gulf coast states, many private insurers abandoned the coast, forcing their clients to seek “insurers of last resort.”

Yes, there is an insurer of last resort: the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. These folks note on their web site:
TWIA's purpose is to provide Texas citizens adequate wind and
hail coverage when it is not available in the insurance
marketplace;and pay insured's claims when losses occur.

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association is a ‘pool’ of all
property and casualty (P&C) insurance companies authorized to
write coverage in Texas.

TWIA is neither a state organization, nor a for-profit company,
and therefore does not seek to increase its market share.

Oh, where to begin.

First, here is the failed incentive. The market, yes, the market makes it clear that it does not make sense to build on this barrier island (inter alia). But someone one has decided that even though it is pretty stupid to build here the risks of doing so should be alleviated. Who, might that someone be?

Well, this so called association is not a voluntary outfit*. It was created by the Texas legislature and the referenced property and casualty insurance companies do not participate voluntarily; they are required to by law to participate. As noted* its too low fee structure is set by the Texas legislature; it's members can be assessed (taxed) for losses and they will charge higher rates to their other customers to recover these losses (more taxes); and what isn't covered by the initial funding mechanisms will be picked up by the rest of the Texas taxpayers. Hmmm, this is beginning to sound like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

So the TWIA tells us that it is not a state organization. Well, it walks like one, it is funded like one, it is constrained like one, it provides false incentives like one, ....
Like the duck, it is a state organization and no amount of doublespeak is going to change this.

Why Galveston? The state of texas decided it should support stupid investments: construction in areas that have a high likelihood of repeated severe storm damage. There really is no excuse for this.

That the TWIA exists is a perfectly good example of government failure and is a perfectly good reason to impeach, heck, just toss out the folks that implemented and continue to support such wasteful programs.

There is no good reason to replace them either.

* See this article for background: Reforming the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (PDF)

Posted by Steve on September 17, 2008

September 16, 2008

When Is the Chosen Hour?

The pope tells us that that god does not choose the hour of death:

At the chilly open-air service outside the sanctuary reputed for its curative spring water, some faithful lay on gurneys, tucked into quilts and comforters. A few breathed with oxygen tanks. The 81-year-old pontiff administered the sacrament of the sick to 10 people, most in wheelchairs, gently anointing their foreheads and palms with oil.

While several European countries permit euthanasia, the Vatican vehemently maintains that life must continue to its natural end. The pope said in his homily that the ill should pray to find "the grace to accept, without fear or bitterness, to leave this world at the hour chosen by God."

This may be an old argument to some of you: god either chooses the hour or s/he/it doesn't. We are all part of the natural world and if we crawl off to die in the woods, put a pistol to our head and pull the trigger, breath too much carbon monoxide, decline resuscitation, and so on, it is either god's will or god just isn't involved.

Oh yea, on the same account it would appear that the pope thinks all medical intervention should be eliminated.

He wouldn't want us to interfere with god's will, right?

Posted by Steve on September 16, 2008 | Comments (1)

September 14, 2008

For You Tweeters

And for anyone else who wants a better understanding of twitter here's a Twitter Whore:

Every month or so I get tempted by the twitter thing but after following a few folks for a while have found little keep me hooked as either a follower or a tweeter. On the other hand, there have been some interesting applications of the technology. It seems that you would want encrypted tweets so that, say, the police couldn't make easy use of the tool to follow you. Does anyone know if you can do this?

Via Black Death Monkey.

Posted by Steve on September 14, 2008

September 12, 2008

Friday Ark #208

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Other Vertebrates

Birds

September 10, 2008

A New Slug Queen

Congratulations to Marie Slugtoinette:

slug%20queen.jpg

Photo by Brian Davies/The Register Guard

She may not be as pretty as the real thing but I'll bet that even PZ will think this human striving toward slughood is a good thing.

Posted by Steve on September 10, 2008

Women Against palin

Mrs. Modulator passed on a link to this site:

On Wednesday, September 3, we sent out an email to 40 friends and colleagues asking them to respond to Sarah Palin’s candidacy as Vice President of the United States. They forwarded the letter to their friends across America. By Tuesday, we had received more than 40,000 responses from women of all ages and backgrounds. Below are their voices.
If you are so inclined send them your thoughts.

Mr. Modulator thinks we should be against all criminals...especially politicians.

Posted by Steve on September 10, 2008 | Comments (2)

September 6, 2008

The Real Reason mccain Selected palin?

Perhaps:

Via Fresh Paint.

Posted by Steve on September 6, 2008

September 5, 2008

Friday Ark #207

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Dogs

Other Vertebrates

Birds

Invertebrates

In Memoriam

Didn't Make It

  • x

Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)

  • x

Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.

Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:

Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.

For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.

Dog folks: remember to submit your links to:

  • The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe
  • The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings
    • has been out of operation since July 2007

For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival

Posted by Steve on September 5, 2008 | Comments (6)

September 4, 2008

Four Joys of Birding

Pictures, research, birding trips and the birds that come to us.

For examples of each fly over to I and the Bird #83 hosted by Wrennaissance Reflections.

Posted by Steve on September 4, 2008

September 3, 2008

Quotes of the Day #7

Yep, 2 for the price of 1:

Third, I get disgusted hearing a crowd that dares call itself “conservative” howl in laughter when the Bill of Rights is mocked.

Thoreau, Orange Alert, September 3, 2008


Shouldn’t any system that rewards and results in such proudly precognitive slavering be sanely restricted in its scope and sweep? Shouldn’t we, indeed, try to figure out how to do without it?

Jim Henley, Derange We Can Believe In, September 3, 2008

Posted by Steve on September 3, 2008

September 2, 2008

Tonight's republican convention speakers Were So Exciting...

...and so interesting that we switched to a rerun of That 70s Show

Posted by Steve on September 2, 2008 | Comments (1)