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Showing posts from March, 2008

Eco Expressions in Ocean Beach, Calif. news

Finding the right balance between nature and spirit Article by Patricia M. Walsh March 27, 2008 When Jan D. Wellik ends her nature writing workshops at the Point Loma Native Plant Reserve, she traditionally invites students to donate a line from their individual observations to create a group poem. The founder and director of Eco Expressions, a program designed to reach out to local youths, Wellik offers the workshops to underscore a powerful point: Preservation of nature and the written word are a collaborative blend because the gardens and stories will not bloom from a solitary hand, she said. On a recent afternoon, standing on the sloping hill of the reserve, lush and colorful with foliage from February’s rains, just above the din of traffic on Nimitz Boulevard, Wellik held just such a workshop where participants of the day contributed in the mesh of nature and spirit: Yellow caps floating in the sea of textured greens the hues of a verdant rainbow Sky hazy cream and light pale blue

Honor Idaho film sites

http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005119953 With the Senate recently passing a bill, to create a fund to offer incentives to film movies and TV shows within the state, Idaho leaders could further bolster this opportunity by asking that our transportation department revisit Professor Tom Trusky 's innovative "Statewide Movie Signage Proposal." Expanding our already successful Idaho Highway Historical Marker program to include tributes to films made in Idaho could be next logical step in this popular program's evolution. To quote Professor Trusky from last year, "The tourist/publicity value of such signage is apparent—and locals might appreciate such knowledge, too, if they are unaware of their cinematic heritage. As well, given the recent interest in bringing film production to the state, such signage would not only be public acknowledgment of Idaho 's considerable contribution to the film industry but also serve as a reminder to contemporary filmmakers

The Tibetans Have Landed

From inner space to outer space in Sun Valley http://www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A162553 A June 2006 Boise Weekly article, timely with the Olympic protests occuring in Lhasa. BY TONY EVANS So what are those monks up to in the Himalayas that makes them so precious anyway? It can't be their music, which sounds like a Dixieland tuba after happy hour. It's probably not their singing either, which can sound like idling semis. Tibetan scholar Robert Thurman (father of actress Uma) spoke about Tibetan culture to a full house at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in April to introduce the Sun Valley Center for the Arts' "Arts of Tibet" exhibition, which ran for three months this spring and just ended. He began by giving a nod to Jesus Christ on the cross behind him, "and to all of his altered states," he added, gesturing to the stations-of-the-cross carvings hanging around the sanctuary. You could have heard a pin dropping, even with a thou

Why Warren Buffett is buying railroads

Improved technology and fuel efficiency have made the rails a perfect industry for the 21st century. http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/07/pf/sivy_apr.moneymag/index.htm?section=money_topstories

Idaho Mountain Express International (Tony Evans)

Here are some articles published by writers for the Mountain Express, which have found international accaim. As more of these are brought to our attention, the adminstrators of the Idaho Conversation League will gladly post these here and in a new subject index found in the left column. Tibetan web site: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?article=Dalai+Lama+host+bares+his+soul+in+new+memoir&id=10596 Sufi web site http://sufinews.blogspot.com/2006/10/from-islam-with-love.html Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n064/a08.html?999 Iraqi news http://www.aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?referrerid=7953&t=50979 Indianz.com http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/011223.asp Fundamentalism on Main Street http://www.angelfire.com/ab8/spiritotv/features/foms.html Buddhist Channel http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=12,3135,0,0,1,0 Love Affair with the Divine http://www.angelfire.com/ab8/spiritotv/features/svwf.html#cb Energy Bulletin .net http://www.energybu

Pressing moves

W e movers and shakers had an inspirational experience this week, especially when compared to some of our recent transporting travails . The Peaceful Freemason, Two Skies and I, helped Brittany Sanders transport a 700 lb. printing press over to her new production studio and then we attempted to manhandle an even bigger and more ancient behemoth. ~~~~~ ~~~~~ Brittany is a real salt of the earth young woman, strikingly gorgeous both inside and out, and she is fun! She is a nationally recognized book artist and designer, and operates a unique business , creating “custom design letterpress stationary, unique wedding invitations, birth announcements and other celebrations, all hand printed on a Vandercook letterpress.” Moreover, she is involved with the film industry; most recently assisting with a great war veteran documentary called “ Fighting for life .” And before that, Return with Honor; a captivating documentary recently featured in K-Town, where one of the Prisoners of War in t

Country Bumpkin Charm

Each time I fly back to the big city, I sneak up on my old friend Tim. After surprising him with a traditional Inspector Clouseau / Kato maneuver, we drive around for Auld Lang Syne. While we hit most of our old haunts, the past we worship briefly resuscitates, through the well-regarded stories we share. We exchange our lively anecdotes; some unspoken for decades, as I cruise an old beater past the house where we dropped off a dropsy friend with a fine-feather we adorned in his cap, so his dad could get a good laugh at the boys out on the town. After a sentimental pizza, I hit the free-for-all freeway, where I drive in the slow lane. Tim says I drive like a country bumpkin. We come to a stop light and glance over at the racecar next to us, booming out rapid bass beats from its speakers. Tim doesn’t stare at the people, but I do, ‘cause I’m freshly fallen off the spud wagon, landed directly at Dulles Airport . Fifteen years in Idaho changes my outlook. At the airport, I watched pass

Frisbee party gone out of bounds

It’s too bad that a few bad apples had to spoil the whole basket for Magic Valley disc golf enthusiasts . It seems that with all abundant countryside farmland out there, that there would be more than a few options for other courses, where kids still in their single digits could share lighthearted smiles, alongside easygoing Idaho old-timers. A few years back, a handful of disc-enthusiasts cobbled together a course in the mid Wood River Valley , adjacent to the rubbish transfer station. However, it wasn’t long before an agent of the BLM informed the players that they would need a permit to continue, so the course ended up being dismantled. It could be that a few bad apples here, also ruined a good thing, but I don’t know the full story. For a while, there was talk that a permit was being procured and that the BLM agent was being quite helpful with his advice, but then the efforts seemed to fade away. It would be interesting to hear from any readers out there, who were involved with

1st great in Stahl ment

I read an essay over the weekend by Carl Sagan. Sagan says there's no truth in contemplation, only in empirical analysis and the scientific method, that meditation fails in the face of experimental inquiry. How can I disagree? Puzzles are solved using rational analysis and controls, but a life that includes emotions, defense mechanisms and a conscience that wants to do what's right is unfortunately a lot more complicated than that. The essay resounded with me, however, because of the contemplating I've been doing concerning this Web site and whether or not to maintain it any longer. The whole endeavor feels somehow self-centered and too self-exposing, and I'm still not comfortable trying to market myself even though I'm proud of the things I've created. I had a conversation over a glass of wine with one of my wisest friends last week. The conversation meandered from capitalism and psychology to relationships and self-improvement, but among the topics dis

For Clarke, Issues of Faith, but Tackled Scientifically

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/books/20clar.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin From the N.Y. Times book review "For all his acclaimed forecasting ability, though, it is unclear whether Mr. Clarke knew precisely what he saw in that future. There is something cold in his vision, particularly when he imagines the evolutionary transformation of humanity. He leaves behind all the things that we recognize and know, and he doesn’t provide much guidance for how to live within the world we recognize and know. In that sense his work has little to do with religion. But overall religion is unavoidable. Mr. Clarke famously — and accurately — said that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic .” Perhaps any sufficiently sophisticated science fiction, at least in his case, is nearly indistinguishable from religion."

Brad Nottingham's Pale Rider memories

written 11/06 I remember Pale Rider and was here in the valley when it was filmed. I had a friend, Lon Plucknett, (since moved back to his home town of Casper, WY) who worked at Anderson Lumber on Lewis & Warm Springs, and they got quite a big sale out of the lumber used to build the set of "the bad guy's town", while in Hailey, Idaho Lumber got the lumber sales for the "good guys town." Locals got to try out for background parts, screen testing at what was then "Slavey's" but I remember I was too chicken at the time, and definitely felt too nerdy for a rugged Western character, plus I wore glasses. Also, as always there were scads of ex-Californians living in Ketchum even then, who knew how to grease the egos in the film biz and get into the mix. Eastwood had an old restored light yellow Buick station wagon he drove around Ketchum back then. My co-worker, LouAnn Hess (now in Challis) was at Sun Valley Motors waiting a long time for them to bri

1st Great in Stahl ment

I read an essay over the weekend by Carl Sagan. Sagan says there's no truth in contemplation, only in empirical analysis and the scientific method, that meditation fails in the face of experimental inquiry. How can I disagree? Puzzles are solved using rational analysis and controls, but a life that includes emotions, defense mechanisms and a conscience that wants to do what's right, is unfortunately a lot more complicated than that. The essay resounded with me; however, because of the contemplating I've been doing concerning this Web site and whether or not to keep maintaining it. The whole endeavor feels somehow self-centered and too self-exposing, and I'm still not comfortable trying to market myself even though I'm proud of the things I've created. I had a conversation over a glass of wine with one of my wisest friends last week. The conversation meandered from capitalism and psychology to relationships and self-improvement, but among the topics discussed was

Statewide Movie Signage Proposal

With the bill pending in our Legislature to fund film industry incentives within the state, Idaho leaders could further bolster this opportunity by asking that our Transportation Department, revisit Professor Tom Trusky ’s innovative “ Statewide Movie Signage Proposal .” Expanding our already successful Idaho Highway Historical Marker program to include tributes to films made in Idaho could be next logical step in this popular program’s evolution. To quote Professor Trusky from last year, “The tourist / publicity value of such signage is apparent – and locals might appreciate such knowledge, too, if they are unaware of their cinematic heritage. As well, given the recent interest in bringing film production to the state, such signage would not only be public acknowledgement of Idaho’s considerable contribution to the film industry but also serve as a reminder to contemporary filmmakers of the Gem State possibilities.” As it stands now, every day, thousands of travelers drive direct

Over obvious blind spots

I remember thinking as a young adult, that there are some men out there in our culture, who continue growing stronger all the way up to age 50. I imagined that these strength-gaining characters would be mostly lumberjacks, ship captains and such, but the fact remained that some men were actually gaining larger barrel chests up ‘til age 50. Another part of me wondered if there was some secret wisdom, whispered into men’s dropsy ears, upon their significant turnover to fifty. Then just this week , I realized that if you count the time from my conception day , I have completed forty-nine years; thus am beginning the first week of 50. With this in mind, this morning, I showed a friend the recent WR Journal article, regarding visionary librarians and the follow up . She asked what was it that allowed me to see such things. I answered that I usually seemed to have a certain knack to grasp several subjects from far reaches and then develop interesting connections, through either relative st

Defending Mary Ann’s honor

Occasionally a s tory comes along so compelling that everything else pales in comparison and drops to the wayside. 9-11, Pearl Harbor and now this week the bombshell was dropped that three wild men hitchhikers left pot in the ashtray of Mary Ann from Gilligan’s island car, after she was kind enough to offer them a ride on her way back from a surprise birthday party set for her in Driggs , Idaho . Not only did I receive a handful of e-mails asking me to stand up for what is right and defend Mary Ann’s honour, but also one young man came fumbley stumbling in backwards, through my front door to beseech me in person. Perhaps he heard that I had recently written her a sincere fan letter . Therefore, I am asking all of you impending Mary Ann back to Ginger, flip-floppers, this is the crucial time when our friend needs us the most, to not abandon ship on her. Certainly, Mary Ann will forgive us for being so fickle, those of us who were shortly considering switching our favorite islander bac