The Drones Are Back

This topic just won’t die. Gawker Media’s blog, io9.com proclaimed: “New UFO pictures” on Friday last. The posts author, Annalee Newitz, believes that the drones are viral marketing. How much misinformation really is out there? Read the comments. For the uninitiated, the Drone flap started last summer. Photos of sightings were sent to Coast to Coast radio, Linda Moulton Howe, and others. Each new set of photographs revealed machines with increasing complexity. As with any flap, the debate was on.

For months, arguments were put forth as to whether the Drones were a hoax or not. A lot of people were screaming CGI,( computer generated imaging). Many were talking about Photoshop. A couple of very talented computer people made videos using the pictures as a basis. There was one camp advocating viral marketing for ______ (fill in the blank here). The discussions became pretty heated, resulting in people getting banned at one site and migrating to other boards.

MSM has also picked up this story. For the most part I think that the media is still treating the whole thing as entertainment vs. real news.

Here are some resources that can help interested parties get up to speed. Earthfiles has a rough timeline of events. Ongoing discussions can be found at ATS and OMF. A commenter using the name Leviathan showed up on ATS claiming to have some information but wasn’t willing to share. Leviathan has been at all of the boards, and has a blog. I am not sure what to make of Leviathan…Too soon to tell.

As far as I am concerned there are only a few facts about this whole affair.

First, none of the videos are real. They are all hoaxes.
Second, no one has been able to reproduce the drones in CGI.
Third, some of the photographs have not been proven hoaxes.
Fourth, no one has come forward to claim ownership of the Drones.

So what is this all about? Presently I am nursing an idea that this is one great psychology experiment designed to gauge how information of this sort is handled on the internet.

Perhaps that’s all life is …One big Skinner Box. Comforting thought, that.

Outis

ACTION ALERT!

Violet Blue is encountering an onset of rather icky Trolls at her San Francisco Chronicle column. For some reason, I cannot get into the comment section. I am sure that she would appreciate any support that we could send her. Her web site is here.

Thanks!

Outis

Silencing

This post is about being ignored and feeling silenced. In a bit, I am going to link you to a blog that is emotionally, a pretty hard read. It is a blog written by a woman who has come from a world of unspeakable violence.

A recurring theme in her postings is how she felt silenced by everyone around her. How she felt silenced when she attempted to speak of the outrages that were being forced on her by her stepfather. How she felt silenced by the world of prostitution that she found herself in. Even now, she feels that some people are trying to silence her because of what she is saying on her blog.

I can identify with how she felt as a child. I too was silenced. I also was forced to accept someone else’s definition of who I was. I can still recall the pain. I can still recall the isolation. I can still recall the feeling of helplessness.

Rebecca has left the world of prostitution, but the darkness and the violence follows her in the form of PTSD. I don't think that you ever can recover from this kind of trauma; you can only learn to live with it. Before anyone jumps down this writer’s throat about not having a clue about PTSD, please look at my links. Labradorite Eyes and I have closely linked DNA. She suffered childhood ritual sexual abuse which she talks about over at her place.

As a result of Rebecca's experience she now looks at all men as violent. She can only see society as supporting this violence. She feels abused, hurt and alone. It is fully understandable why she wants to have all sex work wiped from the face of the earth. It is also understandable that she thinks that all people who are in the sex industry are feeling and experiencing exactly what she has suffered through. This woman is in a world of hurt; nothing would be gained by trying to change her beliefs. The best thing to do is to acknowledge her experience and her authenticity as a person.

After coming back from Rebecca's blog, my first reaction was great sorrow. No one should have to go through her experiences. Having some time to think about her writings, I am now filled with fear. Rebecca has turned to Radical Feminism as an anchor. Please understand that I have no problem with her adopting the RF philosophy. However, there exists under the umbrella of RF, some individuals who are batshit crazy with their own issues. I fear that they will now take Rebecca and use her experience to further their agendas. Rebecca is struggling to bring the light back into her world. If she is constantly held down and forced to live her past, she will never heal. I want to hear her story. I want her to heal. She needs to be supported, not exploited. I will be royally pissed if some nefarious souls keep her down for their personal gain.

Please, go visit Rebecca’s place. Read her story. Leave a kind word if you feel so inclined. However, as you read, remember this is just one story. There are a lot more stories out there and they need to be acknowledged as genuine as well.

I would be remiss if I closed this post without thanking the person who brought Rebecca’s blog to my attention. Once again this wonderful woman has led me to a place where I can experience, think and grow. For that I am so very grateful.

Thanks Ren!


Outis

Stolen from Ren who stole it from Daisy....

A questionnaire for you. Granted, a bit sacrilegious, but what the hell?

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Medium
Wrath:	High
Sloth:	Very High
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Medium
Pride:	Low

The Seven Deadly Sins Quiz on 4degreez.com


I left a tongue- in -cheek message over at Rens place... It is late, I need to go to bed.

May this Easter/Ostara bring us peace.

Outis

Ostara! Ugh

A happy, belated Ostara everyone!

I hate nights like last night. I have no idea how much snow we had. I can tell you that it was just enough that I had to pull the magic lever on the floor of the X, but not slippery enough to make the transfer case happy. My baby was definitely not pleased.

I am still not ready to do a post on my Pygmy yet. Every time I try telling the story it begins to take on the likeness of a short novel. Maybe I will just wait until I get it out in a month or so. In the meantime, there are some interesting things going on that have been consuming a lot of my time.

There is an awful lot going on in the world of the internet. I have discovered a ton of really great bloggers. They are all great writers and are doing an awful lot to expand my knowledge base. I think that the one that I am most indebted to is Renegade Evolution. By following her links, I have been able to get a pretty good handle on the Feminist issue and where/what all the fights, err, discussions are about. Drakyn’s blog is allowing me to study the subject of Transexuality. I had no idea how hotly the subject of gender identity has been debated, until now. It is a fascinating subject, to say the least.

Some might propose the idea that the need for a Feminist movement is long over. Try telling that to my pal Razor Mick!

On a different note…

I don’t think that there is a better word to sum up RW other than fascinating. I came across his old blog, Chasing Vincenzo, one day while reading over at Steph’s place. The site is still up and at very least; his rules about proper bistro conduct are certainly worth the read. RW is a great writer with a fantastic sense of humor. Also the people he links to are very witty. A quick for instance is Girl Dislocated. How anyone, with the physical challenges this young lady has, can keep her sense of humor is beyond me. (On top of all that she is drop dead gorgeous!). All I can say is shukran!

For the rest of you crazies that wiggle into those twenty inch wide boats for fun, I just found a site out there to make you green with envy. Also, I have a new addiction. I have no idea how I found this comic but it now has become a daily read. By all means start at the beginning and read a little bit each night.

Finally, I have a strong feeling that something is about to pop on the UFO scene very soon. It could have something to do with the drone debate or disclosure. What ever it is, it’s gonna be BIG.

We miss you Aunt Robin… Please come back if you can!

A rhetorical question

I haven’t posted in a while. I am overwhelmed, and am very tired. There is so much going on in the blogosphere that I would like to comment on, then the ADD kicks in. As a result, nothing happens. I have also discovered some new incredible bloggers. (More on those fine people later) But for now…

I pose a question. How do you say goodbye to two of the most wonderful people in your life? How do you express your gratitude to them for not only caring for you, but for giving you your core values and at the same time allowing you to evolve to be the person that you now have become?

How do you do this when they are in a constant state of confusion? These two incredible people are reeling, trying to get a balance that they will never again achieve, and are frightened. Never again will clear thinking be a part of their repertoire. Never again will they be able to go about their business independently. They are fighting to maintain their balance and their dignity, yet find it hard to function on the day to day basis that we all take for granted. They are realizing this now. They are afraid and the fear exacerbates the situation. The fear of giving up control and the fear of taking control escalates on both sides and the tension grows.

Verbal conflagrations ensue.

How do you gently tell these folks that they cannot drive anymore; that they must let others pay their bills; that they must surrender their independence?

How do you go about taking control of an out of control situation and still let these people know that you love them and they are still honored?

My parents are in their mid 90’s; they have been married for 72 years. They have lived through a time that no one should have to go through… and they have survived. Now at the end of their lives, what am I to say, or do?

As I said before, a rhetorical question…

But one that I now wrestle with daily.

Pasties (no, not that kind!)

Earlier this year, I had been hounded by family members for my Pasty recipe. Apparently, I am the only one that still makes these things on a regular basis. Because one of my favorite bloggers is down with some sort of nasty malaise, I have decided that now would be a good time to post the recipe.

Pasties are a traditional food of the Cornish/Welsh people. It is a very simple meat pie.
As the story was told to me through my grandmother, the women would get up, cut the lard into the flower,(try it some time), create a dough, cut the fillings, put it all together, and then bake it for about an hour and a half in time for the men to go off to the mine.

Right.

Considering how rough life was back then, I cannot imagine what it would be like to make these things... I figure that the women that had to make these pies must have gotten up at about 3AM to get them ready by 6AM. Back then, it was a necessity. Today, it is a treat. May you all eat well!

A PAIR OF PASTIES

You will need:

Pre made pie crusts… I prefer Pillsbury
About a pound to a pound and a quarter of beef
I generally prefer sirloin tip but whatever….

Some pork… I use Butterfly chops, use your discretion
One for each pasty
Some chopped onion.

For the side dish:
Rutabaga, (mandatory... doesn’t come in till the fall)
Potato (4 large)
Carrot (2-3))
Turnip (4-6

I will get back to the vegetables in a minute.
First, trim the fat from the beef and the pork and reserve
Cut the beef and the pork into small bite size pieces.
Lay out the pie crust and begin to layer out the filling.
(On one half of the crust. You will be folding the crust over to make the pasty.)
First put your veggies, (if you are going to use them here)
Second, layer on your beef
Third, layer on the pork,
Fourth layer on the fat that you have accumulated,
And finally add the onions.

Fold the crust over and pinch off the crust. From experience: don’t overload the pasty; remember that you have to flip the top half to the pie dough over and pinch off; so if you have a great mound of fixins, you will not be able to achieve closure (god, does that sound like psychobabble!) Slit the top in a couple of places. Try a 300 degree oven for about one hour and a half. Each oven is different, as is each new experience…. So start checking your creation at the hour point. If the pasties haven’t begun to boil out and the crust is beginning to brown excessively at the edges, slap some aluminum foil on the edges of the crust in order to keep them from burning.

Al-U-Mineeum foil…. Reynolds has this great stuff called “Release”. Buy it and use. The pasties, by nature will boil out a little and begin to burn around the edges. With normal foil, the pasties will stick, making them almost impossible to get off the pie pan without destroying them. With release, they just slide off…. This is truly great stuph!!! I usually use a pizza pan to bake the pasties.

OK, let’s talk about veggies... I never put anything but onion in my pasties. I create a side dish of rutabaga for my guests. Rutabaga is a dangerous vegetable to process because the fibers of the root are so hard to cut. To begin, peel the root with a common potato peeler type thingy. Carefully, using a knife, cleaver, pick axe, or whatever you have handy, slice down through the Rutabaga and split in half. Slice each half in one eighth to one quarter inch thick sections. Chop each section into small bits and throw them into a large pot with plenty of water. Rutabaga is a very tough fibrous root. It’s gonna take a while to cook; probably about an hour to an hour and a half. Use the knife test for doneness. When the root is through cooking, a knife will slide through it easily. About half way through the cooking process, add in the other vegetables. Drain the vegetables, return them to the original pot, and add at least one stick of butter. (Please use real butter, the cholesterol is much less harmful than the stuph in margarine) Mash coarsely and serve.

If you are going to incorporate the veggies into the pasty, you are on your own… I haven’t tried this yet. I would guess that you would at least partially cook the veggies and then mash them into a paste and then make that your first layer.

Allow me to Spam a little for a Michigan product. The absolute best beverage to go with these pasties is Bells Amber Ale. Unfortunately, you can only seem to get this stuff in Michigan. Soooo, any full bodied ale will have to do.

Enjoy!

Edit. I just realized that pork, ham, etc. is a no-no for some people. Substitute a fattier type of beef.