yes, Bob Dylan had it right..answers for life tend not to be empirical but rather instinctive gut level decisions based on the moment and circumstance…we TRY to have rules to follow, methods, reason, and sage advice…any of that really work for you? most likely instinctive decisions  seem to play the largest role for most of us…things seem to either go good or bad based as much on the alignment of the moon and stars as on any reasonable “planning”…there is no doubt that man has always tried to “stack the deck” in favor of good outcomes,  and surely this is a noble effort, but i think we all know that fate, whatever that is, has center stage…whatever actually happens can be justified or vilified by any number of philosophies, religions, political beliefs, and/or coins tossed into the fountain…

those of us who rode out hurricane Irene on the coast of North Carolina indeed did have the feeling that we had cast our fate to the wind…yes, we followed all the rules(well, except the “rule” to evacuate)….boarded up our homes, stocked up with food and water , extra candles and flashlights, and then just waited…and waited..and listened ..and felt….and finally became a part of the power of nature…a spectacular and most beautiful power…a power that was actually only destructive for those who had homes built in the known path of hurricanes..those of us who live here take our chances..this cost some their lives, others their homes…

yet all KNEW the worst could happen…intellectually likely to happen in fact…they just hoped and/or prayed it would not happen…Billy and Sandra Stinson are friends on my street and i suppose now ex-neighbors for they surely will not be allowed by town rules to build another vacation home out over the water where they were..their house was totally destroyed by a fast moving wall of water…last year i  photographed Billy and Sandra in their moments of best family joys  in their home and now also  of greatest despair,  but i will not publish this last moment without their permission on Burn , or  in National Geographic where my assignment is indeed right now the Outer Banks..maybe by next spring when my story is due in NatGeo will i seek to publish, for storms are indeed part of the story…but now my role is friend and neighbor more than journalist….the picture i took for  FB and Twitter of Billy and the destroyed house is not the picture to which i refer…

Michelle Madden Smith, above, lives just a few hundred yards from the Stinsons who lost it all…Michelle, who runs my workshop program and my son Bryan’s partner in life, also rode out the storm, but with a happier fate….here shown in 75mph winds in Nags Head….a joyful moment amongst tragic moments for others and part of a 10 picture series i did publish on FB and soon to be part of a new book….in any case, i have ridden out many hurricanes in my life and IF you are not in a vulnerable position from flooding or wind damage, then it is  truly one of the most dramatic living experiences one can have…so, exhilarating for some, and a tragedy for others….

indeed Mr. Dylan, the answer my friend is blowin in the wind, the answer is blowin in the wind…

236 thoughts on ““the answer is blowin in the wind…””

  1. Today is the last day of the dry winter season here, it’s only going to get hotter, stickier with a relentless build up of hot desert southerlies mix with the humidity of the tropics to signal the start of the buildup, mango season, a time when top Enders drink more, care less, dogs hide and the suicide rate gets a massive boost to the wet season and it’s cooling thunderstorms…my first build up in Darwin, a bird died on the front verandah, for weeks we drank beer in the afternoon and watched the green ants strip it to bone…It’smy favorite time of year!
    Early this year we got cyclone Carlos, a cat 3 which turned to a cat 1 by the time it hit us, Judy the kids and I saw out the storm in the smallest room in the house, the kids loved it and the adults were just plain scared….we rode it out together as we do everything else….so storm season is only months away….time to get out the waterproof boxes , put every thing of value in them and under the stairs….the rest can just blow away….glad you got through safe Dave , was a little worried for ya Uncle!

  2. a civilian-mass audience

    I don’t do Hurricanes…I am a Greek civilian
    BUT,BUT
    after watching and reading…your photos,FB pics,twitters,comments…
    oh,yeah…I can feel the “wind”
    and I believe that there is an answer…

    WE CAN HELP BILLY…

    P.S…oh,MEDUSA…one of the three mermaids… you had to travel that far…
    you crossed the waters…and find your way …near the Outer Banks…

  3. Saw this picture in your instagram feed and glad I can see it bigger here.
    And can’t wait to see this book you are talking about….sounds interesting…a thin book, comic book style?
    I don’t have a facebook account so I can’t see the rest of the series. bummer.
    I know what you mean about hurricanes…been there plenty of times myself but not as close as you….i stay indoors ;-)

    I don’t quite follow what you mean to say here:

    “they just hoped and/or prayed it would not happen…a deeply religious man and wife on my street lost their home totally and are arguably perhaps the best equipped to deal with it”

    I mean the “deeply religious” part.

  4. and though all things vanish, they shall not pass away…..

    just put mrs. black onto a plane heading north….

    having spent the last 5 days surrounded by sea and wind and beaches torn up by Irene, and quiet walks along the teething sea and the bent and shorn piers…and along the cobbled stone, spanish-moss arms of Charleston streets and long-drawn out stories and the humming-howling of my 9 month old nephew and the melancholy of resistance and the upending and overtaking of things and stories over rebuilding, and charmed greentomatoes cadences and all that remains is the creeking of the cicada’s in the humid palm’d afternoons and all that a part of all of that, to measure out the loss and the losing with the rebuilding and this:

    over a dune:

    even in disppearance and decay, the rebuiding innate in our chromosonal lives…..

    the connection between those who lost their lives and homes and lands with those who lose their lives every hour of the day, long and distant toward the East….

    shuffling through survival means we must not forget…..

    will try to write something on the current essay by week’s end….

    for now, words being tossed toward the sea….

    hugs around

    b

  5. “A man’s character is his fate.”
    Heraclitus

    “Anyone who cannot come to terms with his life while he is alive needs one hand to ward off a little his despair over his fate… but with his other hand he can note down what he sees among the ruins.”
    Franz Kafka

  6. Try the South!!! Drought, dry , Intense heat, triple digits, people die from heat exhaustion..
    But on the other side/north side of America people die from hurricanes, lack of electricity/power, floods etc.. What a weird summer!!!

  7. Great photo… enjoyed the post.

    For me, however, the ratio of gut versus reason/empirical is in the other direction. Much, much more of my life’s decisions are based on reason and empiricism. Yes, of course, “gut” decisions do occur, but even then it’s coming from a base of life experience.

    In any case… tomayto, tomahto, I guess.

  8. “In any case… tomayto, tomahto, I guess.”

    Or “wolf peaches” as I learned from Akaky yesterday…I’m never saying tomato again.

  9. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS…I believe that since ADMIN and the BURN CREW are extremely busy in Perpignan area(France)
    we better stay in one room…cause my computer is slow and I can’t get back and forth to see you
    therefore…

    can we stay in this one…(I have to admit…I like MICHELLE, a lot)!

  10. a civilian-mass audience

    Mike R
    August 31, 2011 at 2:57 am
    Civi, I do have a photo; not sure if I’ll keep it though: bad memories. I’ll ask him if he wants to share it with the world.
    A spider just crawled out of the keyboard of my laptop! We have a spider in our front porch, it used to hide when we went in but now seemingly feels big enough not to have to bother. I’m sober, no drugs, honest.
    No photos, apart from the snap of Tom, since his accident (this is day ten). May get out today.
    Mike.
    a civilian-mass audience
    August 31, 2011 at 3:24 am
    ” Time spent with cats is never wasted.”
    Sigmund Freud
    MIKER…whatever works…I can wait…and may the spirits of health be with TOM !
    and soon he will be strong enough to eat this spider…yeap!
    Paul
    August 31, 2011 at 4:08 am
    “From the stomach, not your head. Not thinking too much because if not the inspiration goes…”
    Antonin Kratochvil
    Paul
    August 31, 2011 at 4:13 am
    Mike R…
    Get down and burn away on your new camera and make Anders Petersen’s cat image look lame…
    http://www.anderspetersen.se/photogallery/romaphotos/photogallery/romaphotos/roma19.jpg
    Paul
    August 31, 2011 at 4:20 am
    “For portraits you have to smell people and they do not necessarily need to appear physically in the picture”
    Antonin Kratochvil
    Carlo
    August 31, 2011 at 10:04 am
    Mike R,
    Here’s my cat saying hello to Tom
    http://myinstadeck.com/vajra111/media/196716425
    wishing him well.
    Paul
    August 31, 2011 at 10:56 am
    And I got my eyeball kick…
    the blow nearly knocked my eyeball out of it’s socket…
    Opening the floodgates for the rush of life surging through my eyes, I feel on top of the world…
    panos skoulidas
    August 31, 2011 at 11:14 am
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9572000/9572646.stm
    Carlo
    August 31, 2011 at 11:20 am
    gooooooo Anton!
    Carlo
    August 31, 2011 at 11:21 am
    Isn’t Anton from Belgium?
    Akaky
    August 31, 2011 at 11:49 am
    Parkas…well, I suppose if you enjoy that sort of thing…
    Paul
    August 31, 2011 at 11:55 am
    Mike R…
    My wife’s Chihuahua sending your cat his best wishes….
    http://adesirecalledcamera.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/wishing-you-all-well/
    Paul
    August 31, 2011 at 11:56 am
    Anton…
    Yesssssssssssss!!
    Congratulations :)
    Mike R
    August 31, 2011 at 1:36 pm
    Anton, congratulations!
    Paul, I was a little worried about opening a link to a view of your wife’s Chihuahua but it turned out to be only a dog. Phew!
    Just joking mate; tell him / her thanks for the best wishes. Tom-Cat is doing well; he’s just been having a wash and tugging at his stitches …… Noooo!
    Mike.
    Gordon Lafleur
    August 31, 2011 at 3:20 pm
    OK, since wer’e sharing cat pictures
    http://www.pbase.com/image/137229461

  11. a civilian-mass audience

    hiiii…you are all here now…

    oups,ADMIN…sorry…I made a mess…BUT at least we are ALL here…

  12. Wow – all those statements David made about the wonders of being in a hurricane over on Comic book – come to life in this single iPhone photo. Really makes me wish I could have been there.

  13. Civi – thank you for moving all the cat pix and everything else over here. I went over there before here, so, to keep it all on this page, this is the comment I left there:

    All these cat pictures – and me probably having more cat pictures than anyone, I ought to post one. But there’s too many. I can’t take the time to go find one.

    Always, Civi…

    Akaky… you are probably only familiar with sad, imitation, parkas – the kind you find in the Lower 48. A genuine Arctic parka from Alaska can be a mighty spectacular thing.

  14. Instinctive gut decisions? Me? I never take them. E.V.E.R.

    Because behind my decisions there’s always THE scentific explanation: because it FEELS right.

    Oh yes.

    And that’s why tomorrow I will do something that nobody would.. I’ve made it down to Arles after a crazy three days of meetings and an even crazier drive, am couple hours away from Perpignan.. but will go home tomorrow after seeing some of the exhibits, because in my heart I know it’s the right thing to do, it feels good.. I hope you all there have a blast at tomorrow’s screening and I’m sure that Burn02 will sell like cold beer on a hot summer night!

    Anton, way cool on BBC!

    Civi, can’t check mail, am not home.. and will be for only a week and then off again.. please wait?? Thanks :)

    Bill.. Frostfrog, that VU app is now free for downloading, until the 4th..

  15. Civilian:

    Reporting in; while David was being chased by the tempestuous Irene Sunday, I was privy to the making of Mannish Water, also known as Jamaican Goat’s Head Soup. You are the Epicurean master in our League of Extraordinaries, by both birthright and prose, but these images may teach you a thing or two:

    http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/8965445656/albums/goat-s-head-soup

    Warning! Shot chronologically, coverage begins with the last bleat, and finishes with the first burp. At least I think it was a burp. Discretion advised.

    AKAKY/AKAKY IRL:

    By far the funniest film I watched this year was “The Trip” with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Their sibling-like sniping reminds me of the two of you. I hope both of you get a chance to enjoy it:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=vGsQIaOsZJ0

  16. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY 1st Of September!!!
    BURNIANS…in Perpignan…Please report to aisle…Blowing by the wind/DYLAN/MICHELLE/DAH!

    FROSTFROG…YOU,YOU have THE cat photos (my ROYCE)…oh,well,you are busy my friend therefore
    we can wait!FROSTY,always! 15 more days to see you…

    EVA…we need to sychronize…we are “dancing”…all over(kinda like MR.HARVEY)hiii…

    CARLO…you can say domata…greek accent…Domata…see:)))

    JEFF…wowwww…JEFF…when YOU report,YOU do report…thanks for sharing!

    HERVE …reporting from San Fransisco…you have cat photos too…I have seen them!

    Come on BURNIANS…bring it on!!!

    P.S…I had a dream…I dreamed that I could write like BOB BLACK…oime

  17. EVA

    you were two hours from Perpignan and did not come? oh my…you would have enjoyed the first peeks at 02 among the gathered…a bit of beer spilled on one copy and the scene a bit chaotic….and the joke from Diego was that at one point i sold another copy of 02 three times….nice huh? well it was sitting on the table and kept going back to the table with three different people thinking they bought it…

    CARLO

    maybe i will rewrite that line if it is confusing…what i was trying to say was that Billy and Sandra feel their beliefs help them most at a time like this…

  18. a civilian-mass audience

    what is the purpose of your “photo life”?
    hmm…
    what is the purpose of my life? what do I love to do…hmm…?
    every year the same problem…
    damnit…

    maybe,I should relax…cause the answer is blowing in the wind…

  19. FROSTFROG

    well, maybe i have made it sound like too too much fun..there were for sure moments of great uncertainty…and if the cat 1 or 2 force winds that did hit were 20mph higher, and all structures wiped off the face of the earth , i would not feel quite so so enthralled by the powers of nature…however, like everyone else living in the outer banks, i take my chances…why live here? well because most of the time it is magic…probably in the same way you feel about Alaska….you see Alaska as beautiful i am sure, and others might think it too damn cold in winter for example…for sure living in extreme environs is invigorating for some, and off limits for others…

    cheers, david

  20. a civilian-mass audience

    and don’t forget me…I live in Greece…IMF brings cat3 force…:)

    oime…keep reporting and thank you in advance …

  21. earthquakes are my favorite..
    sh-sh-shake it like a polaroid picture.

    strongest was in india 1991, and i was 70 km from the 6.9 epicenter at uttar kashi..
    ceiling of my room caved in.

    yes.

  22. David,

    I thought that’s what you meant but did not want to assume. I think it sounds condescending…it bothers me to be honest. I think prayers (and faith) do help people as much as common sense does but the way you put it here is as if saying on one hand “non believers” got away scott free and the “believers” got their home destroyed.
    Is not about being “politically” correct and it’s entirely your opinion…like I said it sounds condescending specially given the situation.

  23. David…

    yes, two hours away, but it was past midnight, would not have been there before 2 or more likely 3 o’clock in the morning.. you probably would have sold that same 02 at least other three times.. but you do make progress, at least now you sell instead of just giving away ;)

    you know, if you think of it it’s kinda amazing, soon you will add another line up there in the ‘BURN BOOKS’ aisle, soon enough add the ‘SOLD OUT’ tag.. all out of nothing with the amazing team you’ve put together.. A team that delivers.. so cool!

    hope the screening and speach goes well tonight, no need to be nervous.. you, an American at Perpignan on stage.. doesn’t happen that often I think.. you done good, ALL of you :)

  24. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDB…VISSARIA …yessss,you are back in BURNLAND!!!

    CARLO…hmm…my translation:”believers and non-believers” will be fucked by nature anyways…
    BUT “Believers” might have more tools to go through the hard times…IMO
    now,I am a believer…and I am waiting for your book!…and some wine:)!

    MTOMALTY…the answer:…is blowin in the wind

    and as EVA says…”you done good,ALL of you”…VIVA BURNIANS

  25. as to serious capture devices, I am torn now between a Canon F1 in excellent condition or a Panasonic Lumix GF2. A Burn 01 alum sang the praises of the GF1 within earshot [no, this person did not know I was there, and yes, I did enjoy not introducing myself] and I am wondering if I shouldn’t just skip the old film camera for this new gizmo.

  26. Akaky

    Different beasts, of course, and each might put you into a different shooting headspace but
    the GF1 (which I use) and GF2( which I don’t) tick quite a few boxes when considering
    compact nature and output quality.
    Unfortunately, neither have any compatible Apps or can be Tweet’d :)

  27. Akaky the Grammarian here, here to tell those who wonder about such things, all two of you, that the phrase is blowin’ in the wind, as this should be blowing in the wind, and although you could say that Irene was a blowin’ wind in the Outer Banks, when she arrived here in the Tri-State area she did not blow-in and did very little blowin’. There was lots of rain, though.

  28. Michael…. very, very cool. My favorite version is by Ry Cooder on Chicken Skin Music. Great album all around if you like that kind of music. Hear especially The Bourgeoisie Blues.

    Here’s a YouTuve video from about that time:

  29. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDMcGO…”is it hot in here…?”

    I don’t know…I don’t do temperatures…BUT I can call AKAKY the Grammarian or PANOS the travelerian…
    or …any BURNIAN familiar with these issues…:)))

    Goodmorning BURNIANS…may the reports from Perpingan start flowing…
    I understand you are all perfectionists BUT your poor civi …is here waiting damnit
    BUT no pressure…

    hiii…Don’t we all love your civi’s passive agressive b…?:)

  30. CIVI –> fast report from Perpignan!
    YES!!!
    Yesterday there was the presentation of BURN 02 at the night slideshow in Perpignan Festival with an interview to David. Of course.. it was great… with at least 5 or 6 different essay.
    Now David and Anton has left… but here there are still a lot of Burnian (Diego first,Audrey, Eric, Laura, Patricio,….. )
    Perpignan is burning :)

  31. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL PARKER(the optimist)…!!!

    LAURA,LAURA…YES!!!
    thank you for the insight…hmmm…I can’t see the pics

    please,keep reporting…cause BURN is the place to be…and safe travels…

  32. a civilian-mass audience

    PAUL…bring and some wine and detox tea and some Spanish leather boots and a cake…

    wow…today,I am extremely needy…I guess,I am going through a face:)

    BURN 2 is here to view…!!!

  33. CIVI!!!

    The things you do to please a CIVI… have signed up with this instagram thing, no clue what I’m doing, plus the quality of the iPhone 2 I have is CRP CRAP CRAP.. but here you go, Arles reporting.. from bottom to top:

    http://web.stagram.com/n/evambk/

    WHERE IS BURN 02 TO VIEW?????

  34. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…I can see FROSTY,MR.HARVEY…THODORI…I am in…!!!

    Keep reporting Italian crazy People,EVA,VIVA…LAURA…
    i am missing some French and did u know ANTON is going Dutch?

    oh,well…Where is BURN 02 to view…hiii…I am just a civilian…what do I know?:)))))))))

    P.S :
    ATTN:***MRS.KATIA ROBERTS…every time I am trying to send you a message,my computer freezes
    your request is granted…I will e-mail you the soonest

  35. Eva, thanks; the second photograph – by DAH – is one of my favorites. I remember it from a Nat Geo Mexico special.

  36. a civilian-mass audience

    and as CARLO’S says…I am following too…:)))

    MIKER…we need update…TOM,how is TOM?

    VIVA BURNIANS…

  37. a civilian-mass audience

    oh,nooo CARLOS…I saw them too…BUT I didn’t want to start my whole chicken talk…

    because when I start talking about them…oime…I can not be stopped:))))))))))))))))))

  38. Beautiful moment. I love standing in the wind as well, but not so much wind here in northern Sweden. I miss it.

    Btw, there’s something very appealing about the colors in instagrams. They’re just plain hard to dislike. (Why?)

  39. I knew it would go like this.. am supposed to WORK.. instead I’m instagram-ing.. as in browsing through pics.. seems I need food and cat pics though (half naked boobs too).. hmmm.. chicken will have to do.. and I guess I’m fired as a burnian, didn’t think of Civi when shooting the pic.. :(

    Mike.. Tom’s ok?

  40. Why, I wonder, would I want to go to Perpignan when I can stay here and think about stuff like this?

    I am not sure when the boys down the street at the Eldon T. Johnson Volunteer Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company decided to join the military-industrial complex, but I suppose that anything that appeals to their innate patriotism, sense of civic duty, and gives them something to do with their time besides drinking beer and playing pinochle into the wee hours of the morning cannot be an entirely bad thing. I’m sure Eldon T. Johnson would have approved as well. Mr. Johnson owned a hat factory here in our happy little burg back in the late 1890’s and made a small fortune selling straw boaters for the summer trade, a respectable fortune selling uniform caps and hats to the United States Army, an organization that regarded then, and continues to regard to this day, the public hatlessness of its membership in much the same way as your average evangelical clergyman regards adultery, fornication, dancing, and other forms of mortal sin. He made an even greater fortune in marrying his wife, the very attractive daughter of a prominent local brewery owner, which is always nice work if you can get it, combining, as it does, both sex and money.

    Mr. Johnson also made a grotesquely huge fortune selling campaign hats to the Army in the run-up to the Spanish-American War, and then, swept up in a fit of patriotic fervor, joined the Army himself. This was not the best business decision Mr. Johnson could have made under the circumstances, but his wife was proud of him anyway. He gained a captain’s commission in the Quartermaster Corps; his father-in-law’s influence with our local Congressman saw to that; and the Army sent him to Cuba after the fighting was over, where he saw no Spaniards to speak of, became one of the first Americans to taste a daiquiri, and died of yellow fever shortly afterwards. In his many long letters to his wife, he does not mention whether or not he saw any American soldiers wearing his company’s campaign hats; the subject never comes up. He did mention how beautiful Cuba was, however, and he complained a lot about the mosquitoes, which, given what eventually happened to him, was perfectly understandable. So, as I said, I am sure that he would approve of what the boys in his eponymous fire company are doing these days.

    That they were going to have to tell someone what they were doing sooner or later was inevitable; that the someone they had to tell was me only became inevitable when they damn near took my head off with the stupid thing. I am, usually, a fairly calm and unruffled person who does not get too excited about the passing hubbub of day to day life, but it is difficult for anyone to maintain their composure when a projectile came flying out of a firehouse at hypersonic speeds and comes perilously close to taking one’s nose off. And so it was that my composure decided to take a vacation while the next three words out of my mouth, a blasphemy with an obscenity sandwiched in the middle to improve the phrase’s aerodynamic stability, was heard over much of our happy little burg, as was the rest of my protest, which combined blasphemy, profanity, obscenity, and scatology in no particular order. I also wish to take this opportunity to apologize yet again to the mothers, living and dead, of the current membership of the Eldon T. Johnson Volunteer Hook & Ladder Fire Company. What I said about all of you was unfair, unjust, and unkind, as well as ungentlemanly, however sufficient I believe the immediate cause of such sentiments to be. Over the years, I have grown used to my head being where it is and I see no reason why this state of affairs should change at this stage of my life. Call me selfish and unpatriotic if you must, but there it is.

    The cat being out of the bag, the pig having escaped from the poke, and me screaming like a banshee—it is hard to keep any kind of secret hereabouts—the boys grabbed me and dragged me into the fire house, trying to get me to shut up and calm down, or the other way around, I’m not sure I remember the order at this point—I was pretty steamed at the time—but after several minutes of trying, during which time I uttered the slurs mentioned in the previous paragraph, and again, my apologies, ladies, I eventually calmed down a bit and even reacquired some small portion of my usual equilibrium, at which point I demanded to know what the hell was going on.

    At first the boys tried to pull the national security routine with me, but was in no mood for that sort of nonsense, and, let’s face it, how many national security secrets does any local volunteer fire department have? Not a whole hell of a lot, I’d say, although I’m certain that the ex-sailors among them would probably not want their wives to find out about any number of altogether vile and loathsome diseases our erstwhile swabbies picked up during shore leave back in their salad days, but that seems more a personal security issue than one of national security. So, as I said, the guys, they hemmed and hawed for a minute, but I was not going to take no for an answer, and so finally they all looked to Joe Finnegan, the fire company’s long-time lieutenant and a great guy [full disclosure: we went to high school together], told the others to go get the thing. There was a brief protest from some of the younger members of the company, but Joe told them to be quiet, everything would be all right.

    The thing, as Joe insisted on calling the thing, consisted of three lengths of black metal pipe about seven feet long all told that the firemen quickly screwed in each other. It was a cold, ugly looking thing, functional, utilitarian, relentless in its look, stripped of the martial fripperies that men use to hide the true purpose of many a weapon of war.
    “You built your own bazooka,” I asked. “What the hell for?”
    “The thing’s not a bazooka,” Joe said. “It’s a…thing, I guess you’d call it.”
    “You guessed wrong, guy,” I said. “I call it a damn bazooka. What’s it shoot?”
    Jim tried to mutter something quickly, but I didn’t catch what he said. “Try again in English, Joe,” I said.
    “Potatoes,” Joe Finnegan said.

    I was stunned. I was stunned because I did not realize that potatoes had any sort of offensive capability at all, unless you mash them and put scallions in them, which offends me greatly; if I wanted scallions, I’d eat scallions, and I prefer to have my potatoes without, if it’s all the same to you; and I was stunned because this crew of idiots had damn near taken my head off with an Idaho baking potato. I understand that this life is not forever, that we all owe God a death, and that we must all at some point join the silent majority of the dead. I refuse, however, to go because someone else chose to be an idiot that day, and I refuse to die in a manner that will cause chuckles to reverberate from one end of this our Great Republic to the other, and having my head blown off by a spud definitely comes under the heading of chuckle-inducing. You can talk about how tragic any death is, how, as Donne put it, “…every man’s death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind…”, but if that person died doing something incredibly stupid, then the idiotic manner of his passing is all you’ll ever remember about this poor schnook. Sometimes even that doesn’t work; there were no horses anywhere near Catherine the Great when she died and see what good that’s done her these past two hundred years or so.

    To say I was furious underestimates the extent of my rage, but Jim, having thus exposed the Eldon T. Johnson Volunteer Hook & Ladder Fire Company’s greatest secret, now threw caution to the winds and began telling all about the thing, which apparently has an actual name: the Mark 10 [I kid you not; there are nine previous models of this gizmo] recoilless potato rifle. The Mark 10, which Jim now insisted on calling the thing when he wasn’t busy calling the thing a thing, could hurl your standard unpeeled potato some two hundred or so feet down range and still put a walloping big dent in the side of a metal garbage can, making the Mark 10 a very effective method of crowd control should metal garbage cans ever become a major threat to the peace, order, and domestic tranquility of the country. To fire the Mark 10, your standard Special Operations operator first sprays the barrel with a coating of cooking oil—WD-40 is good if there is no cooking oil in the battle space—and then inserts the spud into the breech, wrapped in a damp paper towel. The operator then sprays about fifteen seconds worth of hair spray into the firing chamber; Lysol works just as well if there are no teenaged girls going to their first prom in the neighborhood; the firing chamber is then quickly screwed on and locked shut. Having armed the weapon, our trusty operator then looks for a suitably offensive metal garbage can to put paid to. Finding one, which is easy to do today; the Sanitation Department comes around for the weekly pick-up tomorrow morning here in our happy little burg, aims his weapon and pulls the trigger. An electric spark from a standard AA battery shoots across the tiny space between two contacts in the firing chamber, ignites the hair spray, and the resulting explosion sends our spud hurling down the greased barrel and out into the open air to find some metal garbage can out to cause trouble, or my head, whichever comes first.

    There are, as you might imagine, several significant problems with the Mark 10, the first of these being that potatoes are in no way aerodynamic in their natural state; they are a root plant, after all, and aerodynamic efficiency was never an evolutionary necessity for them on their long biological march from simple tuber to potatoes au gratin. Second, modifying the potato’s DNA to make them aerodynamic is not cost-effective. Third, potatoes do not explode and there is, as far as I know, no way to insert a suitable warhead inside even a very large potato, and fourth, no one would ever take the American military seriously ever again if they deployed a weapon that shot potatoes at the nation’s real or potential enemies, with the always important exception of metal garbage cans. In the tribal regions of Pakistan, Islamic extremists are not hard at work developing mortars that fire bunches of broccoli into American airports nor are the Chinese trying to build a new generation of cluster bombs that lay down a carpet of fried wontons all over the battlefield. They just aren’t; it would be silly. I didn’t want to tell the boys this, but someone had to—despite the best and the very sincere efforts of the firefighters of the Eldon T. Johnson Volunteer Hook & Ladder Fire Company, their first foray into the arcane world of secret weapons development was a complete and absolute bust. And then, in a flash, in a moment of utter capitalistic clarity, I saw the investment possibilities of the Mark 10 open before my eyes and visions of pelf, ever-glorious pelf, roll down before me like a river and into my bank account like mighty waters.

    With only a few minor adjustments and some new attachments, the Mark 10 could make someone rich, and I intend for that someone to be me. Yes, I need to wrest the Mark 10 from these guys and make it mine. It can happen. David Sarnoff of RCA managed to keep Philo Farnsworth from earning any money from inventing television, even if Farnsworth had all the patents and managed to fight off the slavering wolf pack of Wall Street shysters Sarnoff turned loose on him. In the end, Sarnoff made the money and Farnsworth didn’t, and in a capitalist society, that’s what counts in the end. Yes, indeed, put a sharp grid at the end of that barrel and the Mark 10 and you can shoot French fries to a fan in any sports venue in the world, even a fan in the lousy seats so high up you wonder why they just didn’t stay home and watch the game on the television Philo Farnsworth never made any money on. I could even license the Mark 10 to McDonald’s; they’re always interested in new French fry delivery systems. With the right attachments, there’s no telling what an efficient Mark 10 operator can do; he could slice, dice, and julienne potatoes in their thousands, and why stop with French fries? Mashed potatoes might be beyond the realm of possibility, but perhaps potato salad is not, if there is some way of getting the proper mixture of vinegar, celery, and mayonnaise into the barrel.

    And now that I’m thinking about it, why stop with potatoes? Is there any fruit or vegetable a smart entrepreneur couldn’t put in the Mark 10 and shoot over to a willing customer? I don’t know, but I’m sure an engineer could figure out a way, and I’m going to have a boatload of those guys working for me figuring this stuff out and working out the kinks in the thing. For example, the hair spray has to go. It has to. Nobody wants to eat a French fry that tastes like someone just shot the fry through the girls’ high school gym teacher’s beehive hairdo; they just don’t. People are like that, the ungrateful wretches. So the hair spray goes, but what to replace it with? Propane? More cooking oil? Gunpowder? Honestly, I’m not sure, but I am sure I’ll find out once I’ve finished infringing on the firemen’s patents, assuming they have patents. Like I said, that’s what engineers are for. And lawyers…especially lawyers.

  41. Civi!!

    Thanks again!!
    Been an extremely bad birthday!! Lot’s of bad news but what the fuck I’m alive and enjoying life even during bad times…
    always could be worse and stepped under a bus :)

  42. Eva…

    My apologies I owe a long Email. I will try my best before Monday, but I have no smartphone so I’m tied down to my laptop for anything online!

  43. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PAUL
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR PAUL
    may your days be full of smiles
    and your nights full of F…
    may your Spirit be bright
    and keep BURNING …
    like you do…
    VIVA!!!

    ok,I will be back in two days…(I am gonna be reading AKAKY)

    be back later

  44. Civi, Eva, Tom is doing just fine: he is asleep (again) next to me on the sofa (again) in the catservatory. He has his stitches out on Sunday morning but has had a good go at pulling them out himself. He bears me no grudge; hasn’t bitten me once.

    I’m tempted to buy him a collar and a lead so that he can go out at night with me and Olly-Cat but I have visions of someone looking out of their window and seeing me stood in their garden with a cat on a lead who is having a crap. So maybe not.

    Mike.

  45. a civilian-mass audience

    LAURA…I see,yes,I see…

    good that I have with me my reading glasses…:)))

    Don’t we ALL love those reportings…oime…
    COME ON BURNIANS…show me what you got…

  46. a civilian-mass audience

    MIKER…you know what to do…
    and thanks for reporting

    I have a glass of wine,a piece of Birthday cake for dinner and AKAKY…

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE!!!

    P.S please keep BOBBY and the other Academians…away for a day or two:))))))))))))))

  47. ” In the tribal regions of Pakistan, Islamic extremists are not hard at work developing mortars that fire bunches of broccoli into American airports nor are the Chinese trying to build a new generation of cluster bombs that lay down a carpet of fried wontons all over the battlefield”

    I lost it when I read that!

  48. Eva – just logged on and the first thing I see is your message. Thank you! I hope to make my first ipad ap book by mid-November. This could prove to be a big help to me. I have changed the title slightly. Now it is:

    Fat Cat of Fort Yukon: Lost on the great Arctic river
    and other wild cat stories from Alaska

    Now I will scroll backwards and see what folks have had to say since my last visit…

    Paul… even before I could begin to scroll, I noticed the date of birth thing… must be your birthday… for hell’s sake, put your camera down and have a happy one… I jokes… about putting the camera down… do have a happy one…

  49. Paul, a very happy birthday, and Mike R, no, the spud almost hit me, and almost don’t count in nothing but horseshoes and hand grenades…

  50. Backed up and… Eva, again… thanks for shooting my protrait! I wondered who that lady pointing the iPhone at me was… why didn’t your introduce yourself?

    I see everyone seems to be getting into the instagram thing. I am not sure yet… one more thing to have to do every day… but maybe… once I get off hiatus and fire up my blog again… but I wonder why the ap is square, wasting perhaps 20 percent of the sensor space? Square is nice, but one can always crop square if square is what one wants…

    Laura, liked the David preparing shot…

    Panos… drinking again…

    Civi.. keeping everything alive…

    Akaky… being a night person, it is still kind of early for me… I could not pysche up my brain to take on all those words… maybe I can get back to them later… even so, I know they are all bright and clever, just like those quoted by Carlo and some would make me think of Mark Twain, others Cheech and Chong…

    Mike R … most important… good to hear about Tom…

    Seeing my prospective title here in print, I realize it is a bit too cumbersome… so, rework:

    Fat Cat of Fort Yukon: Lost On the Great River
    and more wild Alaska cat stories

    Now I must flee this escape and get back to work, so this is it from me for today…

  51. Frosty, this is from the archives, but as it concerns your neck of the woods, you might be interested:

    There are no patio furniture retailers in the Yukon Territory. That’s right, not one. Nor are there any patio furniture retailers in the Northwestern Territories, and one of the many things the Inuit aren’t into in Nunavut is patio furniture; even if they wanted some there’s no place to get any. You could argue, I suppose, that the dearth of patio furniture retailers in these areas of Canada simply reflects the architectural and climatological realities of these regions. Patio furniture, as we have known it since Leonardo da Vinci’s invention of the patio as a way of evading his income taxes in 1502, is basically a summer phenomenon, and no sooner has the Inuit wife nagged her husband into getting the patio furniture out of the garage, where the dogs have spent all winter crapping on it, and cleaning the whole set off than it is time to put the furniture back into the garage for the winter. This is enough to put many an Inuit male off the whole concept of patio furniture, as does the general lack of patios in that neck of the tundra. It is difficult at best to put a proper patio on an igloo, since the kids will usually use it as a hockey rink just when you are trying to entertain your guests with that story about how your vacation in the warm sunshine of Yellowknife almost turned into a disaster when Grandma fell off the sled next to a polar bear that chewed her arm off for breakfast.

    This odd refusal to tap the market for patio furniture in Canada’s northernmost regions repeats itself in other areas as well. A detailed study of the Canadian Yellow Pages reveals that there are next to no retailers selling patio furniture in the Maritime Provinces or in Saskatchewan, and that Manitoba can barely hold its own; Manitobans who want patio furniture have to buy it online and pay prohibitive sales and VAT taxes for the privilege of sitting out on their patios and watching the sun set in Alberta. And yet Ontario is awash in patio furniture and retailers willing to sell the stuff. Even Quebec and British Columbia, which are no slouches when it comes to the mass use and abuse of innocent patios, find their appetites pale before Ontario’s incessant demand for patio furniture. It was not always thus, of course; once upon a time, proud Ontarians would hesitate to bring up the subject of patio furniture in mixed company, lest it shock their guests and lead the uninformed to mistake them for Newfoundlanders, or worse, Americans. This old prejudice has apparently gone the way of all flesh, however, as Ontarians today apparently have no qualms about hogging all the patio furniture for themselves and leaving none for Nunavut.

    Defenders of this clearly abhorrent discriminatory practice will, no doubt, bring up such irrelevancies as the population difference between Ontario and Nunavut. Ontario is a fairly large place, as places go, stretching along the border with the United States from New York in the east to Minnesota in the west, and has a population of several millions of people. Nunavut is also a large place, of course; in fact, Nunavut is damn near humongous; but its population consists largely of caribou, which, despite the best efforts of environmentalists everywhere, have not demonstrated any convincing need for patio furniture at any time during their evolutionary history. However, this simple explanation fails one crucial test; having explained away the lack of patio furniture retailers due to lack of population, with the concomitant lack of demand, the proponent of this theory must then explain why there are no fewer than two patio furniture retailers just across the border in Alaska. There are just as many Inuit in Alaska as there are in Canada, and a wide selection of other aboriginal Americans as well, plus an equally large population of caribou, and yet there are two stores catering to the Inuit/Native American /First Nation/ Politically Correct Euphemism for Eskimos and American Indians of your choice in Alaska and none in Nunavut, the Yukon, or the Northwestern Territories. Clearly, the population excuse cannot be the truth.

    We must assume, I think, that human nature is the same everywhere, despite the many cultural differences that separate us, except for the area around Fenway Park, and that if the Inuit of Alaska crave patio furniture enough to support two establishments dedicated to its sale, then the Inuit of the Canadian North share this craving just as much as their fellows across the border, but that the Canadian government is, for reasons of its own, thwarting their desire to buy some. It is difficult at best for any mind not completely taken in by the habitual doubletalk of politicians and bureaucrats in Ottawa to understand why the government loathes patio furniture so much that they would take active steps to keep the inhabitants of the country’s northern regions from getting a nice set of six chairs and maybe a couple of tables for their patios.

    Sociologists who have carefully studied the behavior of bureaucrats in situations where questions of life and death are totally irrelevant to the issue at hand have pointed out in study after study that bureaucrats will do almost anything in their power to adversely effect a nation’s seating habits, often for the sheer pleasure of doing so. In Paraguay, for example, under the long dictatorship of Alberto Stroessner, it was illegal for any chair produced in a Paraguayan chair factory not to have a large wooden knob placed squarely in the middle of the seat, the ostensible reason being that the knob would compel people to sit up straight, thereby promoting good posture and therefore good citizenship, and would prevent a nationwide outbreak of hemorrhoids, which Stroessner saw as deeply unpatriotic and suspiciously communistic in their nature. Stroessner and his secret police did not tolerate communists or piles in Paraguay and so neither officially existed anywhere in the country, although The New York Times did publish a secret Interpol report on the subject in 1981 that pointed out that the traffic in Preparation H and the collected works of Karl Marx in the capital, Asuncion, dwarfed the cocaine trade and the always popular Lufthansa Paraguay uber alles tours by a factor of almost five to one.

    Canada is a parliamentary democracy, of course, a proud bearer of the British tradition of the rule of law, and not some tin horn—pot—other metallic implement South American dictatorship, and so cannot arbitrarily order Canadian merchants not to sell patio furniture to the Inuit citizens of the country, and yet that appears to be exactly what’s happened here. There does not seem to be any rationale for this ban, no thirty year study by leading Canadian medical authorities that suggests that rattan, wicker, or, in a pinch, molded fiberglass, furniture causes appendectomal cancer in laboratory rats and related indigenous populations and as a consequence the government ought to keep the stuff off the Northern markets. What there does seem to be is a surfeit of Canadian bureaucrats who think watching Inuit sitting on blocks of ice is more than a little funny, especially when they jump up and start whacking themselves on the bottom after they’ve been sitting on the ice for too long. I’m sure this sort of thing is very funny, in its own sad sick way, particularly if you don’t get cable and the satellite dish never seems to work the way the salesman said it would, and it seems to me that Canadian bureaucrats must not have much to do, if thinking of new ways for Inuit to look silly is all they have to do with their time.

  52. Hey, you all might find this interesting. It’s a 12-year-old’s photographs of his trip to Africa. It’s loose, natural, he never had any training. His camera is a cheap point-and-shoot You can really see the 12-year-old perspective. And to some extent the perspective of those who look at a 12-year-old. I edited and did a minimal amount of processing, but it was a light touch.

  53. MW…. goddamn… whatever you do, do not let that boy take a photography class! Haha! Seriously, though, that kind of purity you don’t want to mess with.

    Number 2 is just wonderful, btw…. perfect!

    Tell Jackson someone said “well damn done!”

  54. MW

    Fantastic! Michael Kircher said it better than I could… #2 looks like it could almost be a DAH shot.

    As an aside, that Montero in the background of #8 looks just mine (same colors), except the spare tire cover. Oh, and another difference is that it is probably driven by someone skilled at driving in sand and I got mine stuck on the beach in OBX :-)

  55. a civilian-mass audience

    100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    yes,it feels good…I had to do this

    I will be back…I am still reading

    BURN is HOT…
    BURN is COOL
    and I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!

  56. Bill…

    you don’t need to shoot square with instagram, you can take any pic from your iPhone, import it to the app and crop it right there to square, so you still have the original file if you need it for other purposes.. but it is true that it will keep you behind the screen a bit, like any other social networking thingy.. not having a blog or FB or Google+ or tumblr or whatever else myself (just twitter) helps to limit my time here..

    Still have to read Akaky, and now it’s doubled even!!

  57. Eva, thanks so much.

    Justin, man, I could tell you stories about driving in sand. Best short advice is to deflate the tires. I have a few about driving a white Montero on crazy expeditions as well, but those involve mud much more than sand.

  58. Akaky, Panos, Michael Kircher, Frostfog…

    Thank you very much for your birthday wishes!! It’s been the weirdest birthday I’ve ever experienced in my life, even stranger than the one I forgot to celebrate!!

  59. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…slow boat over China…damnit you are funny:)

    MW…the kid rocks…pure and free spirit…bring it on…!

    PAUL…you are a true BURNIAN…next b-day let’s do it…over ouzo and spanish cakes:)

    I am still reading…

    P.S…what’s up with our Perpignan people…BURN02 ate their tongue…hiiiii

  60. a civilian-mass audience

    and I am still missing so many BURNIANS…

    KATIEEEEE,MYGRACIE,DAVIDB,SIDNEY,KATIA,LASSAL,EMCD,ERIC…

    let me finish with AKAKY and I will be back

  61. a civilian-mass audience

    DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE…

    I repeat,I beg,I yell,I am angry…

    DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE…

    I am ok…back to reading…

    P.S…what did I tell you…PANOS is doing weather…!!!

  62. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS…one thing I have to say…YOU do deliver !!!

    the answer my friend …is you know where the wind blows !!!

    How many times must a BURNIAN look up,
    before he/she sees the sky?
    How many cameras a BURNIAN must have
    before he/she can take a pic?
    And how many ears must one BURNIAN have,
    before he can hear people cry ?
    And how many deaths will it take till we know,
    that too many people have died from the HEAT?

    The answer my friend…is right here in BURN
    the answer is here in BURN…

    I know,i know…don’t tell MR.DYLAN…shhhh…
    LOVE,PEACE and PHOTOGRAPHYYYYYYY

  63. CARLOS..

    i think you read way way too much into my comment OR perhaps i should have worded more carefully..there was no intention on my part to pit believers and non believers against each other…heaven forbid….nor to be condescending to anyone…i did delete my original comment anyway you may have noticed (or not?) since matters of religion are best left outside of Burn…

    forget all this….the reality of what is happening is that my son Bryan and i are going to lead a sustained community drive to get Billy and Sandra’s house rebuilt …as an historical landmark…it will take some doing because under current environmental laws they will not be able to do it…but i think we can follow environmental guidelines, and still get the house back..this will involve a whole lot of effort on the part of many in the community…but we have vowed to get it going……this is going to be something to believe in…

    cheers, david

  64. DAVID,

    at some point when you are back at your home, I would like to Skype with you about the 5-to-9 essay, to get some feedback and to show you it was not blown in the wind, .. however still some work required, I guess…

  65. mw…

    Nice set of images :)!
    Laughing…This is a bit like “the glass half full or half empty”…
    The dog lovers edition.

    Good to see a Rednose Pitbull in your gallery :)
    BTW is this the new camera?

  66. a civilian-mass audience

    Welcome home MR.HARVEY…!!!

    MW…I can’t stop starring at the toes(human)…hiii
    lovely!

    THOMAS…are we there yet…5-9…!!!

    BURN:
    Believe
    unite
    Respect
    Nurture

  67. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…I deflated my tires…

    car did…broommmm,brooommm…I called road service:)

    LOVE YOU TOOO!!!

    Come on BURNIANS…I would love some reporting…and many BURNIANS…Wanted!!!

  68. I thought maybe “Heat Advisory” had become the new general any damn thing you want to write venue, but I see “blowin in the wind” is still blowin, so I will post this here. I should have done it awhile back, when this Uiñiq was still brand new – but it’s still pretty new. Anyway, this is the cover of my latest Uiñiq magazine:

    http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/display/ShowGallery?moduleId=7150417&galleryId=707009

    Unfortunately, unless I put the link in the regular part of my blog, where I cannot post until September 15, Squarespace will only open up on the thumbnail, not the image itself, but just click on that thumb and if your monitor is big enough, you can see the cover full size.

    I am hard at work on the layout and production of the next Uiñiq and it must be done to draft stage in one week, so I really should not be fooling around on Burn or anywhere else – I should be working hard on Uiñiq, which I will be shortly.

    Eva – thanks for that info – when things calm down, I will give it a try.

    To anyone who doesn’t know what Uiñiq is, it is explained on my blog:

    http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/journal/2009/4/23/uiiq-we-nyik-magazine-explained.html

  69. (reposting in the right section this time)….

    To ALL-

    Just came back from 4 very inspiring days in Perpignan…. First and foremost, it has been a real pleasure to meet again with many BURN friends I had not seen in a while… Audrey, Laura, Anton, Diego, Laura (El-Tantawy), James, Jenny, Patricio… I am sure I am missing a few… I had some special moments like discovering the handmade book of Audrey about her parents and of course Burn 02… a superb magazine that Diego has put together with David…. As I told him, he has once again raised the bar and seeing the work of some of you together with special exclusive essays of Pellegrin, Gilden etc is a real treat… I am sure many of you will order it on-line… Having my copy signed by Paolo, David, Anton and Diego made it very special indeed….

    Beyond meeting these friends, Perpignan is also the opportunity to be inspired by the work of some of the greatest photographers…. Was able to meet and listen to Yuri Kozyrev who received the highest award for his work of the Arab spring (see link underneath)… Nothing more deserved.. the work of Yuri stands above all others….

    http://lightbox.time.com/2011/06/12/on-revolution-road/

    Another highlight for me was to meet and also listen to Barbara Davidson who was presenting her work on victims of crossfire in LA (link again underneath)… great lady and very inspiring work…. Those of you who have not yet seen the work should see the multimedia piece…

    http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-gangviolence-html,0,6290501.htmlstory

    I was able to also listen to Paolo Pellegrin who was presenting his work of the past 10 years to a limited audience in the Canon reserved area… Such a humble and real person… true talent for sure… Listening to him was a privilege….

    Finally, it was great to see you DAVID…. spending that afternoon/evening with you and the BURN crew was a real pleasure… I always come out full of energy after seeing you…. All of us present were very proud to see the special projection of 5 BURN essayists on the large screen on Campo Santos in Perpignan… Burn has gone a long way since that evening in your loft where it all started (gosh, is this already 3 or 4 years ago???)… You, Anton, Diego have every reason to be very proud….

    My message will not be long as I am heading to Cincinnati for almost 2 weeks leaving at 6am tomorrow so I better get some sleep… I might try to see my boxing friends while there…. funny circle, going back to where I worked on this essay for you at the time of Road Trips… I know you will continue to be looking at assignments in the future… I move at the speed of a turtle given my day job but, if you have the patience, I hope I get a chance to take on another one together :):)… Will stay in touch for sure….

    Cheers,

    Eric

  70. a civilian-mass audience

    FROSTFROG you are UNIQUE !

    FROSTFROG you are UINIQ !

    BURNIANS…I am visiting this blog…(frequently)and I have to say this:http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/

    MR.BILL/MY FROSTY you are UNIQUE…
    thank you…
    thank you and whatever wind has blowing you here…thank you!

    ERIC…thank you too for reporting…say hello to family and safe travels!

    Keep reporting…!

  71. a civilian-mass audience

    Did I tell you…?
    oh,well…I talk to the winds.Yes.I do…and they say that BURN is the place to BE!

    HAPPY LABOR DAY to those who celebrate !!! For the rest of US…Happy Monday

    Be you
    Be safe
    and let your civi…talk to the winds…(nope,no ouzo yet):)))))))))))))))))))))

  72. ERIC…

    thanks for your note here…it was so great to see you as well in Perpignan…a nice reunion for all of us…while you are in Ohio, any chance you can get to new york? we have the loft class at the end of this month..it would be great to have you as a special guest..present work to the class?

    FROSTFROG

    yes, any Dialogue post is where anything can happen..but when you have Panos up with a single or whatever, you can imagine anything goes!! anyway, nice to have your comment wherever it may appear…. :)

    cheers, david

  73. Frostfrog, “one day a cat stepped out of the woods, ate his ham, moved in and that was that.” – that’s what happened to us; except that Olly came over the wooden fence of our back garden and ate my ham. He’s been here about 9 – 10 years now: must like it. Tom had his stitches out yesterday; he is doing well. My wife and I will be a little bit closer to you as from tomorrow – we are travelling to Canada to see relatives. Full support team in place for “The Boys” – we have family that live next door.

    Mike.

  74. just got back to Toronto…to share with y’all…

    Yumi Goto and Oli pin-fat asked me to participate in Her I was there photo project. Oli asked me and then i asked him if we good do it as a family contribution…so, here it is…..my picture is from my book on Russia, Marina’s is from Versts, Dima is from his favorite thing to do…..

    enjoy

    happy labor day

    http://www4.atword.jp/reminders/2011/09/05/i-was-there-69-bob-marina-and-dima-black/

    running
    hugs
    b

  75. ok, well my link isn’t connecting…just returned from south….bags lost, $200 on travels fees spent in excess…9 hrs from buffalo to toronto after spending all day in airports….and now off for a walk…

    so, i wanted to post good news today….but it looks like it must be seen as spam as it has a link….

  76. so, try i’ll try it differently…..last year oli pinfat asked me if i wanted to be a part of Yumi Goto’s ongoing project of photographers from around the globe in her I was there project…i agreed if we could do it as a black family contribution instead of just me…

    ..so, here it is…..my picture is from my book on Russia, Marina’s is from Versts, Dima is from his favorite thing to do…..

    enjoy

    happy labor day
    hubs

  77. ok, so it won’t let me post the link??….maybe david will have to unleash it, since wordpress might think it is spam…..

    otherwise, you can see it on my facebook page…

  78. DAVID (DAH):

    I have sent you an email, hope you have an opportunity to see it.

    BOB B:

    Look forward to seeing the latest Black family project. Sorry to hear you had such a hellish journey back home, but hope you enjoyed your time in Florida. Let’s be in touch soon.

    Best,

    Justin P

  79. David,

    First thing welcome back! and happy labor day to ALL!!
    yes, I did read you reworded your statement.
    No need to dwell in the past as they say…what’s important is this community drive you mentioned…that’s truly kind and an admirable thing to do!

    And thanks for the Perpignan report! can’t wait to hold a copy of burn 02!!!!

  80. Perpignan

    After delays of trial and error here my take on Perpignan.
    Davids’ energy is contagious . . .

    PS.: I didn’t want yet another account, so it’s posted under Sandra’s name . . .

    Gerhard

  81. a civilian-mass audience

    Good morning from Grecolandia!

    MICHAELK…I love the “inside”…yes,this is close and i am thinking…LUNCH time !!!yeahhh!

    MIKER…safe travels! hug TOM…gently:)

    EVA…you are DA WOMAN, my Lady…DA WOMAN!

    GG…thanks my man…you got the smile and the report…!

    and as MR.HARVEY says…if God dropped out of the sky right now and said in a roil of thunder “Civilian, you must stay in only one place the rest of your life..what will it be ?” my answer would be..BURN

    or…the answer my friend …is blowing in the wind…
    dantramm…darara…dum,dam
    tralall…oh…dam,dam(singing)

    P.S…Cacofonix…my arshh…pfff

  82. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDB,LEE,ROSSY,IMANTS,KATIIIIEEE,MYGRACIE,LASSAL,MARCIN,MR.iVINK,REIMAR,SYDNEY,WENDY…

    and soooo many of YOU…i am looking for your report…

    I am waiting…:)…

  83. a civilian-mass audience

    BOBBYB…rock on!!!

    CARLO …safe travels…

    MARCIN…congrats…maybe you can bring a link from your exhibition…!

    BURNIANS…I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLl

  84. PANOS..ALL

    take good care of these BURN photographer’s prints….i have just received good news for all of us…my RIO book and show will launch at the Australian Center of Photography in Sydney in May 2012 during the HeadOn Photo Festival…in addition, and most important for everyone here, i have secured a show for the photographers here on BURN …..i do not know what you have for Texas, but at least some of it should be considered for Australia..or maybe not…it might be better to just start over for Australia..i am not sure….the point is BURN will have a major presence in this down under festival..yes, we have had a role in Look 3 and Perpignan already, but this will be much larger in the sense we will have at least three print shows from BURN…if 02 goes well , then we will be set to publish more books…anyway, one thing at a time..and skype when you can…

    cheers, david

  85. DAVID! :))

    CONGRATULATIONS!….great news for RIO and for the BURNIANS!…now, can you launch the publication of book after RIO in Toronto! ;))))….

    and GREAT news too about the group exhibition :))))…can’t wait to see BURN02! :))

    PANOS:

    priced prints :))…as promised you’ll have Tree & Stone by end of Sept :))

    running

  86. a civilian-mass audience

    “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.”
    Sarah Ban Breathnach

    MR.HARVEY you are a Dreamer Doer!

    go BURNIANS!DooBeDoo…Viva!!!

  87. David,

    those ARE amazing news!
    can’t wait to see all of this work…RIO book and periodical (how is that going)? the one you announced some time back. Then the comic book style one! and of course BURN 02!!!
    Nice little treat that vimeo link from GG…thanks.

    And securing a spot for the photographers here in Sydney….amazing! so much happening!

  88. ABSOLUTELY,
    I’M DOING MY BEST TO KEEP ALL PRINTS IN PERFECT SHAPE (keeping it away from Lola that is-the Dogg)..
    MY dream is to SELL ALL of them so the photogs can profit and BURN raises enough $$ for the NEXT EPF FINALIST!..
    but economy bad, blah blah etc…i was ALSO THINKING to move “BURN-ED GARDEN” EXHIBITION TO SYDNEY AUSTRALIA , CANADA, BRAZIL, EUROPE ETC…
    Yes, thats my hope if possible..to keep moving the BURN GALLERY AROUND THE WORLD, TOURING LIKE AN OLD SCHOOL ROCK’N’ROLL BAND!
    “The Burning Stones”? maybe? (lets just stay away from Keith Richards, thats all;)

  89. ok, ALL, i have a big ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE!

    panos skoulidas

    August 5, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    time to showcase not only to the world our work but also to prove ourselves that we can deliver when needed , fast fast fast…

    panos skoulidas

    August 5, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    ok let me cut through the chase here….we are talking about a big HUGE BURN EXHIBITION! DAVID already started this long time ago..nothing new here..im not an innovator i know, i know…but follow me please for a second and you might like my idea…

    Well as any photog im always looking places, galleries, cities, countries etc..to exhibit and showcase work..even sell (i know y’all laughing on the sales part)..

    Anyway CHECK THIS OUT…. i found a venue…A great gallery , in a great community that will host a BURN EXHIBITION…

    ok before we go into details, i need to say this..First i made sure i got a space for me, the original plan was for me to do a SOLO exhibition and be the cool guy etc…Of course i agreed and all was fine until couple nights ago i woke up with this bright idea , practically stolen from DAH..lol

    Why Solo?

    How about a BURN exhibition?

    GREAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! i thought..but immediately i saw the problem..

    WHo am i to choose who should be included and who not?

    Is it an inner circle jerk elite in Burn? How do i get in Burn? How do i belong? I havent published an essay yet..am i good enough? and other thoughts of this kind ..

    so i scratched and scratched and scratched my head and then BOOM I GOT IT…

    the NAME OF THE EXHIBITION WILL BE :” BURN-ed GARDEN” (First i thought salad instead of garden), or “Burn ,The Last Minute Compilation”…

    you see i want to promote BURN and us the photogs so check this out yo..

    DEAL IS THIS…:READY?

    panos skoulidas

    August 5, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    EACH ONE OF US/YOU/ALL OF US/ANY OF US/YOU that wants to be included and participate in the EXHIBITION That will take place / premiere at 8th of october 2011 in SA Texas and will probably move on to europe or Sydney etc..

    SO all i need is ONE PHOTOGRAPH OF YOUR CHOICE/PRINTED AS BEST AS IT EXPRESSES YOU/AT ANY SIZE YOU PREFER..(NOT FRAMED)…In the address i will provide if you email me at panos.skoulidas@gmail.com or innerspacecowpanos@gmail.com

    Not digital files nor negatives… YOUR PRINT EXACTLY AS YOU LIKE IT!

    AGREEMENT IS THAT 50% OF THE SALE OF THE PHOTOGRAPH, (IF SOLD OF COURSE) goes to THE PHOTOGRAPHER and 50% donated immediately to Burn Magazine)-(gallery gets 30% of the deal)

    FEEL FREE TO PRICE YOUR PHOTO TOO IF YOU LIKE but i promise i will try to sell it in a higher price.

    Well why am i doing this? Well why not?

    I can still do a solo exhibition later and still impress the community but hey hey wait!

    Whats best? Just one photographer only? or a bunch of geniuses here from Burn on a gallery wall????

    I already have the OK FROM THE GALLERY..

    ALL READY TO START..

    IM GONNA DO IT ANYWAYS AND I WILL EXHIBIT…BUT ANYONE WANTS TO JOIN?????

    HONESTLY ANY BURNIAN I KNOW HAS AT LEAST ONE GREAT/ICONIC photo at their disposal, on e photo signature, one photo that feels “you”..! well that is the photo i want from you to SHOWCASE , bring it to the collectors and even sell it if possible…One thing for sure i know we will have tons of people in the premiere opening night in the gallery and it will be a great party!

    AGAIN, RULES? NO RULES..ONLY TIME MATTERS..i know u guys have the photos ready..maybe not printed yet but ready.. Now SIZE? any size u like..THE BIGGER THE BETTER..but plz at least bigger than 11×14(min), NOT FRAMED (put a sticker on the back with name and sign it to be nice with your customers)again, gallery takes 30%, and from the rest 50% to you and 50% to Burn for Support/Donations to keep the magazine alive..again its a win win situation..

    Its a Burn collection, no theme, no “best” or this or that..no labels..just a burn party somewhere in the heart of america , in the heart of the Lone Star Land..im sure Austin and SA will totally support us!

    Name of the gallery is 1-9-0-6 run by multifaceted talented owner Andy Benavides and again

    BURN EXHIBITION PREMIERE is at 8th of October till November the 4th!

    WANNA PLAY? ALL WELCOME!

    Email me to send u address in the texas gallery to send the prints that i will personally handle etc etc blah blah..im expecting a DAH photo too , hopefully not the most expensive one from his collection!

    panos skoulidas

    August 5, 2011 at 3:42 pm

    because its all a matter of time…not enough time… please send them/prints as fast as possible although u are still good and “in” even if i get your print 7 days prior the 8th of october…Again , no theme, b&w is ok, color ok, all photo manipulations ok, everything , anything ok, as long as its GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

    thank you all!

    Again for more info email me here:

    innerspacecowpanos@gmail.com

    panos.skoulidas@gmail.com

    Panos Skoulidas
    Burn exhibition starts October 8th , send photo at:
    Panos skoulidas
    1115 S.Alamo st , #2308
    San Antonio Texas 78210

  90. I was just wondering if someone may be able to help me out please…. I’ve been hunting high and low (just about worn out Google!) but can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. Has there ever been a seminal essay done on the right wing/national front/right wing resistance etc?

    I’ve been hunting high and low and have found some KKK stuff and the usual protests etc and that’s about it! Any ideas? Thanks :-)

  91. john gladdy
    September 12, 2011 at 3:16 pm
    Panos. Sending you a couple in the next two days….Texas friendly :))))

    …..but of course they wont sell……and the whole thing will be a washout…….and no one will turn up………..and all the leaves will turn brown and fall to the earth and be trampled under foot by the senseless boots of an uncaring mass, catatonic in its ….(continues on for 996 pages)

    Kinda digging this pessimist thing. Much more fun than being serious about stuff.

    panos skoulidas
    September 12, 2011 at 3:19 pm
    thank u John, i know i can rely on you… yes yes Texas friendly..dont wanna get shot down here…remember last time JFK visited?

    and again big thanks to Amsterdam and Patricia VDCamp!

  92. david alan harvey
    September 12, 2011 at 3:37 pm
    PANOS…JOHN

    i hope to hell you know i do not care..teasing…and i am sure Rob does not mind either….i am so pleased with what you are doing Panos…once before you remember we had prints all over the loft..i think we sold only 5 prints or so for Burn readers but at a fair price…for us, that was just Mike and i , we never wanted to do that again…managing all those prints..too much responsibility and logistics involved….a lot of packages in and a lot of packages out….but we were trying to squeeze all of it in with too many other things going on…you seem to have a good system and good help all around…can you make a 40 print selection for Sydney?

    cheers, david

  93. panos skoulidas
    September 12, 2011 at 3:54 pm
    …can you make a 40 print selection for Sydney?
    ——————————————————-
    i think im very close to this number, although in the next 2 weeks im gonna be happily flooded by photos especially from europe that still on the AIR/mail, flying to Texas..

    and yes, yes..if i only knew! one thing for sure, i’ll never attempt this again!!!
    (although i dont sound convincing on the latter, do i? ;)

  94. …but not my worst mistake, just my most recent mistake!!
    ———————————————————–
    im gonna “steal” this above quote/line…im gonna need it in the future..i know i will!;)

  95. panos:

    when do you need the print by….printed just printed for Marina’s upcoming show, and i’ll have my print ready next week…what is the day you need it to reach TX??…..

  96. anytime around 1st october is fine…premiere at 8th! but ANYTIME your print makes it here , i will of course INCLUDE IT..EVEN IF I GET LATER since exhibition will last for the whole month (its not just a one night show..) thank you mucho!

  97. so yes Bob and all… i will include it in the show even if it comes later…show will be up in the gallery for a month , starting October 8th! Big Tuxedo night for Texas! BURN NIGHT!

  98. panos:

    thanks…marina’s prints for her exhibition had to be printed first…i’m going on Friday, which means i should have the print by mid next week and then will ship it…it’ll be there before the 8th and will try to make it by 1st….:))…will write you privately when i pick it up :))

    hugs
    b

  99. Hey Panos,

    Printing tomorrow and should be able to have it off by the end of the day. Thinking of doing something cool from Istanbul but could do an archive rock and roll piece if you prefer.

    Charles

  100. a civilian-mass audience

    GOOD MORNING from Grecolandia !!!

    PANOS…I am sending two chicken feathers…cause if MATTHEW and IMANTS from Tazmania can do it…
    then,I can do it too:)))))))))))

  101. a civilian-mass audience

    hmmm…Taz-Tas-BURNMANIA !

    what not to Love…we are all optimists here…yes,JOHNYG,JIMMY…yes,we are all optimists!

    I am still missing many reports…
    I know where you “live”

    you have been warned!

  102. a civilian-mass audience

    hiiii…I hacked an account…:))))))))))

    My sincere apologies ADMIN and MRS.VISSARIA…

    I can do other accounts tooo…:))))))))))))

    IMANTS…this is the real civi…and yes,how is life in the suburbs?

  103. a civilian-mass audience

    I would love a report from PAULT,LAURA,MIKE,MICHAELC,SEAN,THOMAS,VIKYM,THODORIS,ROSA…some BRIANS…
    some Italians…and more

    ok…I know where to find you…therefore…you can just bring your reports:))))))))))

    LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLL

  104. a civilian-mass audience

    oime…DOMINIK …I tried hard to hack your account

    BUT,BUT …I had no luck…

    Thank you for reporting and Congrats again !

  105. CHARLES P!
    THANK YOU!!! can’t wait!!!!!
    U know I want grunge but but I wouldn’t DARE ask you one of those!!!
    Anything u like! although u know I’m a DIE HARD NIRVANA-ian!!!

  106. a civilian-mass audience

    ok…on a serious note…

    Happy Feet is missing…may the spirits of the sea…be with our beloved penguin…

  107. civi
    reporting from venice, california…..
    i just put a little slide show of my BuRNIAN get together with Panos and Kim in venice….
    just some snapshots, so if you have a minute and a half…..
    PANOS in VENICE>>>>>

  108. Panos. Put a red dot on charle’s picture as soon as it goes up. I will buy the first one. make a good price coz the moneys coming back to Burn right?? Dont sell out cheap.

    j

  109. and….Here is CHARLES PETERSON’s BOOK “TOUCH ME I’M SICK”

    BOOK HERE:

    http://instagr.am/p/M_oYA/

    and signature here:

    http://instagr.am/p/M_ogD/

    i picked both books from Charle’s studio in Seattle…Young Tom was there with me, Haik was too busy to attend…i’ll never forget meeting Charles and following him for VIETNAMESE…Charles is DA coolst cat, peace

    ALL
    really really proud of you/us !we doing great..our loft here looks really like a garden!
    A photo garden..yes yes ..its coming together!
    Lets see if that silly : “TEXAS EXPERIMENT” will have any luck..tick, tack, tick….

  110. and i dont know if u guys are ready for this:
    but i’ll say it anyways :
    Even the day i got married (night actually) i was wearing the KURT COBAIN T-SHIRT that mr. CHARLES PETERSON HIMSELF gave to me as a gift back in Seattle in 2008…
    Its Kurt playing the guitar, photographed by Charles (who else?) of course!

    http://instagr.am/p/M_ruf/

  111. JOHN GLADDY..PANOS

    thank you John for buying the Charles P print…and i will buy your print at the market price as well..let’s get something going here….PANOS, red sticker JohnG print sold to me please….

  112. http://instagr.am/p/M_vXu/

    KYUNGHEE LEE 2 AMAZING ARCHIVAL REAL PAPER PRINTS! GEEZ!

    DAH!
    sold
    sold
    sold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats want i hope to hear that night of the premiere! 8th of October in SA Texas!
    (cmon Texas, there are some big oil money there, help some starving photogs out, please, will you:)

    RICK PERRY,
    if you are reading all that, please support us! i know u got a fat wallet! mr Governor!

  113. AGAIN, ALL, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING BURN!
    FROM THE SOLD PRINTS , 50% GOES TO THE PHOTOG, AND 50% DONATED TO BURN (excluding gallery fee, a percentage up to 30% unfortunately, but hey the gallery needs to survive too..they are hosting it, advertise it, FREE BEER, taco stands, DJ’s etc..real FULL BLOWN PARTY!
    so far we have confirmed up to 400-500 art lovers coming in the premiere, and i still havent placed the Advertisement in the Best ART PAPER here in SA…blah blah…bottom line, while Kim is handling all that PR stuff i deal with the prints, post office, looking at them , touching them…smiling..etc!
    All, thank you for the support, and remember:
    The donated prints will CONTINUE THEIR TRAVEL AND WILL HOPEFULLY MAKE IT TO AUSTRALIA!…sOOOOOO…
    even if your print arrives the last minute we will still hang it up and include it ASAP..but please hurry..its mid september and we start at october 8th….! move fast..fast…faster!!!!!! like a cheetah…

  114. so to be clear: NO, the unsold photos will not end up decorating the loft here…no no no…the IDEA is , to keep them moving, touring…like a GARAGE BAND..with many names
    tom, joey, mark etc…names names names…but ONLY ONE LAST NAME:

    “THE RAMONES”

  115. and to be very very CLEAR WITH THE $$ (if any of course)…i will present you ALL in the end with a galley money breakdown..I dont want ANYONE HERE to think im putting even one cent-not dollar- in my pocket, or any misunderstandings..
    its clear, gallery gats paid, the photog gets his share and BURN takes its share (MONEY THAT WILL GO STRAIGHT TO NEXT EPF WINNER IN a few months AS WE ALL KNOW)
    clear?
    ok, peace, one love!

  116. a civilian-mass audience

    whatever TANGUY said…

    oime,WENDY…you are DAWOMAN you are DASOUL…
    thanks for reporting,sharing…
    we were there with you MY BURNIANS…and yes,yes…KIM is HOT!!!

    Viva BURNIANS…BURN is HOT…!!!

    I am going for a beer…I am an optimist!

  117. Does 9/11 Truth Have A Chance?

    “In America Respect for Truth is Dead”

    Dr. Paul Craig Roberts

    Infowars.com
    September 12, 2011
    In the US on September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of 9/11, politicians and their presstitute media presented Americans with “A Day of Remembrance,” a propaganda exercise that hardened the 9/11 lies into dogma. Meanwhile, in Toronto, Canada, at Ryerson University the four-day International Hearings on the Events of September 11, 2001, came to a close at 5pm.
    During the four days of hearings, distinguished scientists and scholars and professional architects and engineers presented the results of years of their independent research into all aspects of 9/11 to a distinguished panel consisting of the honorary president of the Italian Supreme Court who was an investigative judge who presided over terrorism cases and three distinguished scholars of high renown and judgment. The distinguished panel’s task is to produce a report with their judgment of the evidence presented by the expert witnesses.
    The Toronto Hearings were streamed live over the Internet. I was able to watch many of the presentations over the four days. I was impressed that the extremely high level of intelligence and scientific competence of the witnesses was matched by a high level of integrity, a quality rare in US politics and totally absent in the American media.
    As I stressed in my recent interview about 9/11 with James Corbett and Global Research, I am a reporter, not an independent researcher into 9/11. I pay attention when the fact-based community finds problems with the official propaganda. Perhaps this reflects my age. My generation was raised to believe in evidence and the scientific method. George Orwell and other writers warned us of the consequence of succumbing to government propaganda as a result of disinterest in the truth or government manipulation of one’s patriotism.
    My ability to serve as a reporter of scientific evidence is enhanced by my having a Bachelor of Science from Georgia Tech, a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, and post-graduate education at the University of California, Berkeley, and Oxford University, where my professor was the distinguished physical chemist and philosopher, Michael Polanyi. In the 1960s, I was appointed Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, in order to provide together with Polanyi to the science students at Berkeley a course in Polanyi’s unique contributions to knowledge. Polanyi’s illness prevented the course from happening and condemned me to being a mere economist.
    This does not mean that I am infallible or that my reporting is correct. If my reporting stimulates you, go to the presentations, which I believe will continue to be available online, and if not, some edited CD will be available. Try http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings
    As one whose own contributions to economics, now belatedly recognized, are “outside the box,” I am responsive to those who can escape peer pressure in order to advance truth. Here are some of the important things I learned from the Toronto Hearings.
    The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology, a government agency) reports on the twin towers and building 7 are fraudulent. Witnesses at the Toronto Hearings proved that building 7 was a standard controlled demolition and that incendiaries and explosives brought down the twin towers. There is no doubt whatsoever about this. Anyone who declares the contrary has no scientific basis upon which to stand. Those who defend the official story believe in miracles that defy the laws of physics.
    A nano-chemist from the University of Copenhagen, who together with a scientific team spent 18 months investigating the chemical and physical properties of dust from the towers, found evidence of nano-termite in the dust and quantities of particles not naturally formed by office or normal building fires that indicate another explosive was also present.
    A D V E R T I S E M E N T

    These findings explain the extreme high temperatures that produced the molten steel for which indisputable evidence exists. In the orchestrated cover-up, NIST denies that molten steel is present as its presence is inconsistent with the low temperatures that NIST acknowledges building fires can produce.
    Physicist David Chandler proved beyond all doubt that building 7 fell over its visible part (other buildings obscure the bottom floors) at free fall speed, an unambiguous indication that explosives had removed all supporting columns simultaneously.There is no possibility whatsoever according to the laws of physics that building 7 fell for the reasons NIST provides. The NIST account is a total denial of known laws of physics.
    Many other powerful points were made at the conference that I will not report, at least not at this time, because the revelation of malevolence is so powerful that most readers will find it a challenge to their emotional and mental strength.
    Psychologists explained that there are two kinds of authority to which people submit. One is to the authority of people in high positions in the government. The belief that “our government wouldn’t lie to us” is pervasive, especially among patriots. The other source of authority is experts. However, to believe experts a person has to be educated and open-minded and to trust scientific, professional, and scholarly integrity.
    In recent years in America, scientific and scholarly authority has come into disrepute among Christian evangelicals who object to evolution and among anti-intellectual Tea Party adherents who object to “elitists,” that is, objection to knowledge-based persons whose knowledge does not support Tea Party emotions.
    In other words, qualified, knowledgeable people who tell people what they do not want to hear are dismissed as “the enemy.” Much of the American population is set up to believe government propaganda. Without an independent media, which the US no longer has, people are taught that only “conspiracy kooks” challenge the government’s story. Even on the Internet, this is a main theme on Antiwar.com and on CounterPunch.org, two sites that protest America’s wars but accept the 9/11 propaganda that justifies the wars.
    This is the reason that I think that the US is moving into an era where the emotional needs of the population produced by government propaganda overwhelms science, evidence, and facts. It means the abolition of accountable government and the rule of law, because protection from terrorists is more important.
    The fact-based world in which “we are not afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead” is being displaced by dogma. Anyone who doubts “our government” is an anti-American, Muslim-loving, pinko-liberal commie, who should be arrested and waterboarded until the culprit confesses that he is a terrorist.
    The event of 9/11 is now outside the realm of fact, science, and evidence. It is a dogma that justifies the Bush/Cheney/Obama war crimes against Muslims and their countries.
    Obama regime appointee Cass Sunstein, a Chicago and Harvard Law School professor, thinks the 9/11 movement, for challenging the official “truth”, should be infiltrated by US intelligence agents in order to shut down the fact-based doubters of government propaganda.
    When a law professor at our two most prestigious law schools wants to suppress scientific evidence that challenges government veracity, we know that in America respect for truth is dead.
    The notion that a country in which truth is dead is a “light unto the world” is an absurdity.
    Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is the father of Reaganomics and the former head of policy at the Department of Treasury. He is a columnist and was previously an editor for the Wall Street Journal. His latest book, “How the Economy Was Lost: The War of the Worlds, ” details why America is disintegrating.

    http://www.infowars.com/does-911-truth-have-a-chance/

  118. copy and paste fron infowars link above for whoever is lazy to click on link!

    the author is:
    Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is the father of Reaganomics and the former head of policy at the Department of Treasury. He is a columnist and was previously an editor for the Wall Street Journal. His latest book, “How the Economy Was Lost: The War of the Worlds, ” details why America is disintegrating.

  119. Physicist David Chandler proved beyond all doubt that building 7 fell over its visible part (other buildings obscure the bottom floors) at free fall speed, an unambiguous indication that explosives had removed all supporting columns simultaneously.There is no possibility whatsoever according to the laws of physics that building 7 fell for the reasons NIST provides. The NIST account is a total denial of known laws of physics.

  120. “When a law professor at our two most prestigious law schools wants to suppress scientific evidence that challenges government veracity, we know that in America respect for truth is dead.
    The notion that a country in which truth is dead is a “light unto the world” is an absurdity.”
    Dr. Paul Craig Roberts

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