December 27, 2003
Via: "Contact Form"
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 8:45 PM
Subject: eJournal Contact
COMMENTS: I like your review of Shikasta by Doris Lessing--a visionary work that anticpates the rise of al-Qaeda & global terrorism by 25 years. My enjoyment was undercut somewhat by your repeated misspelling of the word "bureaucrat." NOT beaurocrat! Otherwise, good work.
best
M
p.
| Presently listening to: Nobody's a Fool - Avril Lavigne - (03:57) |  |
December 25, 2003
The most uplifting and inspiring feedback I've ever received...
To: "Patrick"
Sent: Friday, January 19, 1996 9:59 AM
Subject: Patrick, where are you from?
Kudos for an elegant, thoughtful and poetic website. There is a story in Jewish mysticism about the Lamed Mufniks - 24 unknown, humble righteous men whose existence justifies the world in God's eyes. There may be 24 righteous websites whose existence justifies the internet in my eyes. If so yours is one.
Thanks
Presently listening to:Firth Of Fifth - Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited (09:37)
December 24, 2003
A suggestion for the Critical Texts for Critical Times page...
To: [Helprin List]
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2001 6:56 AM
Subject: Re: [Helprin] Critical Texts for Critical Times
I've just finished reading C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" for this first time (after many aborted attempts) and if you're open to something that's not "eastern" in thought or philosophy, I would definitely add this one to your list. Everyone knows the "plot," right? Through a series of letters, an elder demon instructs his nephew in the art of temptation.
What makes this book timely is that it is set at the start of World War II, and much of the conversation concerns the "patient's" thoughts and attitudes about war and his view of the enemy.I had just announced my Critical Texts for Critical Times page to the Mark Helprin listserver, not even two weeks after 9-11. A few list members came back with excellent suggestions for additional texts. This one, unfortunately, didn't fit the page.
If, in an odd angle of the hutment,
A puppy laps the water from a can
Of flowers, and the drunk sergeant shaving
Whistles O Paradiso!--shall I say that man
Is not as men have said: a wolf to man?
The other murderers troop in yawning;
Three of them play Pitch, one sleeps, and one
Lies counting missions, lies there sweating
Till even his heart beats: One; One; One.
O murderers! . . . Still, this is how it's done:
This is a war . . . But since these play, before they die,
Like puppies with their puppy; since, a man,
I did as these have done, but did not die--
I will content the people as I can
And give up these to them: Behold the man!
I have suffered, in a dream, because of him,
Many things; for this last saviour, man,
I have lied as I lie now. But what is lying?
Men wash their hands, in blood, as best they can:
I find no fault in this just man.
Eighth Air Force
Randall Jarrell
p.
| Presently listening to: When Doves Cry (Acoustic Live) - Barenaked Ladies - acoustic & live december (02:36) | |
December 23, 2003
I was near the beginning of a 6-month, 6,000 km cycling tour across China, and beginning to feel comfortable enough about the political/social/cultural landscape and history to make some observations. The result eventually became Shanghai'd in Shanghai, an entry in my travelogue. But first it was posted to my travel mailing list, and a friend responded to it.
Continue reading "Re: eJournal 4.010 :: Shanghai'd in Shanghai."Something about snow. It falls lightly outside my window. A centimetre or so has accumulated on the foot-deep blanket fallen already this month.
A windless snowstorm is, to me anyway, the most calming sort of weather. Inside or out.
Inside, a snow storm heightens the sense of warm hominess.
Outside, there is the quiet, and the sound of snow falling to earth.
p.
| Presently listening to: The History Of The World [live] - Gang of Four - Songs of the Free (04:56) | |
Some of the email in my sent mail log jogs memories in ways which are difficult to explain. Take this one, for example:
Continue reading "the public lounge"December 21, 2003
This post appears in a much shortened form, and is more tightly edited, at Reciprocal Madness, as part of my eJournal Travelogue. In that form, Reciprocal Madness, appeared as part of the In Honor of the Bravest gallery show mounted by the Aaron Ross Gallery, September 3-30, 2002 in Vancouver, Canada. The final word of the exhibit, the text was printed in full to a single 12 foot long X 11" sheet which hung from the exhibit wall at 6' and ran out several feet onto the gallery floor.
Among the newsgroups and mailing lists I belong to is one devoted to Mark Helprin, one of my favourite authors. While Helprin has written several extraordinary novels, most of which I've loved to dog-eared tatters, he also regularly contributes opinion pieces to the Wall Street Journal. I am often stunned by them, not simply for their right-wing political stance but, most remarkably, the jingoism and unabashed militarism defining them. Shortly after 9-11, I was forced me to re-evaluate his fiction. In the process, I was motivated to speak to larger issues.
Before posting it to the mailing list, just to make certain I was on the right track, I emailed it to another list member for comment.
Continue reading "Re: [Helprin] Bush's Speech [rather verbose]"December 19, 2003
I'd just completed a 6,000+ km cycling trip across China, from Shanghai to Kashgar via Beijing, Xian, Lanzhou, Xiahe, Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Turpan and all variety of points between. Thank the TIan Shan (heavenly mountains) for email and an old friend back home, Andrew Secord. Andrew managed the Vancouver bike shope where I'd purchased most of my cycling gear. And along they way he was a frequent author of supporting and informative emails--often in calming (or alarming, if necessary) response to my hysterical, "MY HUB'S SHOT, AND SPOKES ARE BUSTING LIKE TWIGS!!!" emails. And there were also a couple care packages of replacement parts. So I wanted to do Andrew a favour. A big favour.
Continue reading "Flying Pigeon"December 18, 2003
Below is a conversation begun by a visitor to Are You Afraid of the Dark,
an eJournal entry written in Japan, 1995. The entry is an East-meets-West discussion of the difference between western science's view of energy, and that of the eastern mystics.
December 16, 2003
news:0kcslv8hjtg66esm7b9prtnv89njpr5pb7@4ax.com...
> Military family organization protests US presence in Iraq
[Link to news article deleted]
[Patrick Responds]
From the article, beginning with the wife of a serviceman:
[quote]
"Sometimes, I think that Congress thinks it is so easy to make a decision that involves another country, but they overlook the effects it will have on our military, their families and children," she said. "No one speaks up, but our voices need to be heard."
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2003 12:01 PM
Subject: Symbols of government.
I was watching 60 minutes last night. The entire show focussed, in documentary format, on Bush's experience during the minutes, hours and days following the 9-11 attacks. Interesting and often riveting show, even if it glossed over those shaky early hours (remember that phone call to--was it Giuliani?--from the oval office? -- 60 minutes left it on the cutting room floor.)
| Presently listening to: On Time as a Helix of Precious Laughs - Happy the Man - Debut LP |  |
My roommate in 1st year at RIT turned me onto a whole bunch of new music. I'd already been pretty adventurous in high school, but how musically obscure can you get in the backwoods of New Hampshire? I lived on "Deer Run Lane," fer krisakes! There was Mahavishnu Orchestra and its complex and enigmatic leader John McLaughlin, master guitarist. And Gentle Giant. He had a soft spot for the heavy stuff, like Robin Trower and Sabbath, but his was a sophisticated and eclectic taste in music. Scads and scads of trippy fusion, Tangerine Dream, everything Todd Rundgren, and a mysterious duo called Jade Warrior that sent you to the Far East. I had my first and only out of body experience stretched out at home listening to Jade Warrior's Floating Wave album.
Continue reading "re: Giddy for Happy the Man"December 15, 2003
Below, MJ and I pick up the thread begun in re: Bullies. If you haven't read that one yet, you might want to first.
Continue reading "Mo're: Bullies"
Newsgroups like alt.fan.noam-chomsky and alt.politics are a good places to get a feel of what the mood of the politically loud-mouthed is.There's a fair bit of rhetoric, much jockeying for position, posturing, pontificating and rampant back-pedalling attacks. Really it's all just a big pissing contest. Still, in the storm of ego and self-conscious witticism--and I am often no better than most of the participants if I stick around in these things too long--there are some good points made. But mostly I go back for visits to refresh my distaste for the adversarial forum. And to fire off shots from the grand stand.
Continue reading "re: Bullies"
December 14, 2003
> A true story, from a friend who works at Boeing...
>
> Some Boeing employees recently "liberated" a life raft from one of the
> 747s on the company's production line. Later, they took it for a float
> on the Stilliguamish river. Imagine their surprise when a Coast Guard
> helicopter "rescued" them after homing in on the emergency locator
> beacon that activated when the raft was inflated. Not surprisingly,
> they no longer work at Boeing.
| Presently listening to: Charms - The Philosopher Kings - The Philosopher Kings (04:45) | |
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Being defeated is often a temporary condition.
> >Giving up is what makes it permanent.
> >
> > -- Marilyn vos Savant
> >
> >
p.
| Presently listening to: Cortez The Killer (live acoustic) - Neil Young - (08:06) | |
I should probably create a category on this blog for feedback to my websites. No, in fact, I know there will be plenty worth reprinting here. New category coming up.
I should create a subcategory for feedback to Hanoi Jane never stayed at The Hanoi Hilton alone.
warning: language
>
> hey fucko, how long until Canada makes it official and becomes the
> fifty-first state?
Well, in our quiet, unassuming, conciliatory Canadian way, we're holding
out to make the USA our 11th province. That would vault the USA into
the UN's top-10 list of best countries to live in, though it would
probably drop Canada out of the #1 spot it's enjoyed the past several
years.
Keep your fingers crossed,
Patrick.
Alex, if you're still listening, you'll be happy to learn that the US has now made the top 10 -- and Canada has slipped to third -- all without the merger of our two fine countries, as reported by the BBC
p.
Presently listening to:No Woman Around - The Philosopher Kings - The Philosopher Kings (03:33)
The Afternoon Show on CBC Radio in Vancouver sponsored a write-in contest called Song of the Century. I didn't win.
Back when the most complex HTML was figuring out the <TABLE> tag I'd tell newb folks who wanted to build their own page: "go surfing -- when you find something you like, copy the page, use the structure and make the page your own." I grit my teeth in self-reprimand wondering how many other legitimate webmasters I've inflicted with copyright infringements like the one described below.
Both pages in question are now deceased, but my page would have looked something like Theatre Absurd, which is looking a bit long in the tooth. (The green was an experiment, OK?) Hers was remarkably similar, as described below.
Well, you could remove the 'synaptic' from the <TITLE> tag on http://www.artquilting.com/Gallery-dir/copyrite.html, perhaps replacing it with the more appropriate "ArtQuilting".
And the synpsblt.gif(s) appearing on your page are indeed covered by the copyright on the copyright page from which you took them. Please create your own GIF, or get one from a free clip-art source, or annually write me a cheque for $100US for each usage.
It's kinda ironic that they appear on your copyright page (which itself is an infringement--compounding the irony). And then there's the line
For web use of text, please link to the HTML from which the text originates and cite the author as "Olena Nebuchadnezzar".So perhaps you'd like to provide a link to my Copyright page @ http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/copyrite.htm and cite "Patrick Jennings" as the author?
Finally, something sticks in my craw about the usage of "lovingly maintained by Abe Nebuchanezzar," given the circumstances. That phrase is something of a personal signature and I'd prefer if it remained that way.
I'm not sure how you'll read this. On the one hand I'm having a good chuckle. On the other, there are some serious issues which you must address.
Cheers,
Patrick.
PS: You'll want to update the email address appearing on the page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
patrick jennings synaptic | grey matter media
eJournal Travelogue :: http://synaptic.bc.ca
Fine Art & Travel Photographs :: http://greymattermedia.com
Presently listening to:Close to the Edge (long version) - yes - (18:45)
I wrote the following... hmmm...how to characterise it? I won't. I wrote the following in a forum of mine created specifically for it. I was hoping it would generate some traffic, some thoughtful input. At least, more than it has so far.
As you interact with your learner, attempting to teach simple lessons, the learner will, from time to time, respond incorrectly. As a consequence of each error, the learner will receive a shock from the device, administered by you. The shock will increase by 15 volts for every error beginning with 15V for the initiall incorrect answer, 30V for the second and so on.
The question is, how far would you go?
After just a few errors, the learner complains of discomfort. Would you stop there?
A little further on, the learner is yelping quite loudly with every shock, and begins complaining that the heart condition he'd mentioned earlier seems to be acting up. Would you stop here?
Perhaps you suggest to the experimenter that the learner seems to be in significant discomfort. Perhaps it's time to stop? "No," the experimenter says, "the experiment requires you to continue." Do you?
Not more than a few shocks later the learner writhes and screams with every shock. He demands to be let out of the experiment. Do you stop now?
"I don't think I can do this any longer," you say to the experimenter, who replies, "Of course, you will be paid whether you continue or not, but we really do need to get the results of this trial." Do you stop now?
By the time the shock level is above 300V the learner refuses to participate any longer. Do you stop?
"The failure to enter an response at all," says the experimenter, "must be considered an incorrect answer." Do you stop?
The final three shock levels are labelled "XXX -- Extreme Shock." Do you stop before reaching them?
You are wringing your hands, pounding your head with your fists; sweat beads, runs in rivulets down your forehead. You are in obvious distress over administering these shocks to a helpless individual. Indeed, your agony is only exceeded by the learner's, who begs you to stop as he anticipates the shock to come. "Please continue," the experimenter says, firmly, though without any threat. Do you disobey now?
You have administered 450 volts, the highest possible level of shock, to the learner, who was unconscious and unable to respond to your question.There seems to be nowhere else to go. You have reached the end. "Continue the experiment, please, and administer 450V shocks for every incorrect answer." It is not over. Do you stop?
You have just administered the third shock at 450V. The learner is inert. "OK," the experimenter says, "that is all the data we need."
You may stop now.
An authority has told you to.
p.
Presently thinking about:Obedience to Authority, Stanley Milgram
I was part of the planning committee for my 20th high school reunion. In an effort to track down AWOL classmates I sent out a rather broad and ill-advised mass email to addresses gleaned from several directories. Anything resembling a classmate's name. Not everyone was receptive. I'll just let it unravel in reverse.
CAUTION: language!
Cheers,
Patrick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
patrick @ webbed @ http://www.synaptic.bc.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: abba jordan
To: patrick
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 1999 7:53 PM
Subject: Re: Seeking Class of 79 GHS Alumni...
> patrick ol' dog! thanks for writing! so what's the hap homeslice? is your
> wife still fucking around with max? oh wait, you did know about that didn't
> you? otherwise i'd look quite the fool now, wouldn't i?
> of course i'm coming to the reunion, wouldn't miss it for the world, mofo!
> i hope the crusty old dean won't be there. remember our senior prank,
> filling his car with cream corn? that was a motherfuckin hooT!!
> HELL YEA!
> so what's the hap? i'm currently assignment editor with spice (the porno
> channel - hell yes!!), but we have a special policy here - look but don't
> touch. gotta respect the ladies, no? you're goddamn right we do! women of
> the world take over, 'cause if you don't the world will come to an end.
> except for your wife, you know. homewrecker.
> oh, so what's your job? you're not one of those motherfucking spam folk, are
> you? my other job is annoying the fuck out of them in return for the hell
> they put innocent internet users through. KARMA WAILS!!!!!!!!!!
> -abba jordan, grandmaster of guruness
>
> >From: Patrick Jennings
> >To: ROBERT PARTRIDGE...
> >Subject: Seeking Class of 79 GHS Alumni...
> >Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 19:44:23 -0700
> >
> >Howdy,
> >
> >If you're not a 1979 graduate of Gilford High School in New Hampshire,
> >and you don't know
> >anyone who is, please accept our apologies for cluttering your inbox.
> >No need to respond;
> >we won't send another message your way.
> >
> >If you are such an alumnus, or you know someone who is, please respond
> >to this message.
> >There's a reunion planned for August 21st, this summer. Even if you
> >can't make it, we would
> >love to hear from you, and about you.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Patrick.
And after all that the search turned up not even one classmate.
p.
Being in something of a writing slump for a long while I've decided to remind myself I can write by wandering through my sent mail log. I'll post anything worthwhile to the blog.
I'm also pretty fond of found stuff. Even better, clever things folks write to me. Whatever's appropriate, or especially delicious, I'll post here as well.
Here's something I forwarded on to a number of friends, back in 97.
> >-----Original Message-----
> >"We astronomers really can be spherical bastards," said one scientist.
> > Not having heard the term before, I leaned over and inquired what he
> > meant, "Spherical bastard" he repeated, "a term left over from Edwin
> > Hubbble's day to describe a malcontent from any angle."
> >
> > - Eric J. Chaisson, "The Hubble Wars"
> >
> >
p.
December 13, 2003
Stouts and ales are for people who live in cold, miserable places like Vancouver. They are chummy, hearthside beers, the shepherd's pies of beverages. Now tell me, how appealing is the thought of shepherd's pie in that Louisiana heat?
Wine? Wine is a parasol. Fine for moderate days--delicate flower of intoxicants--it wilts in the heat, and bruises in extreme cold. Wine is for people with air conditioners.
Lager cuts to the chase. It is a bag of ice to the back of your neck, a bracing offshore breeze that raises goose bumps. If there were no popsicles, Southerners would let their children drink lager.
Surefire pathway to hangover: a clawfoot tub of ice generously displaced by bottles of lager + temperatures in the 'sweating in the shade' zone.
Antidote: a boiling spicy vat of crawfish, corn cobs and potatoes. Taken with lager, of course.
Continue reading "re: jazzzzz"
