The Hennessy Hammock that is.
At least that's what Dwell magazine says. There are also reviews of the tent from USA Today, Newsweek, Backpacker, Field and Stream, National Geographic, and Sea Kayaker here.
This tent does look good for the right application. It only weighs about 2 1/2 pounds. I can see some definite upsides to sleeping in a hammock-tent vs. on hard, rocky or wet ground. This tent might be really good for bicycle camping. The only downsides I could see is you need to find a couple of appropriately spaced trees to tie it to and you would need to be pretty tired to get a good sleep in a hammock. Probably not a problem after a day of biking or hiking.
You can read a little bit about Tom Hennessy the designer of the tent or the....Product Description From Amazon -
"Experience a level of comfort on the trail as good as or better than your bed at home with this innovative personal shelter. No more sleeping on sloping, rocky or muddy ground, waking up with aching muscles or searching for a level campsite. The lightweight Hennessy Cocoon's new features make it a perfect alternative to heavy tents. Includes bug screen, rain fly, support ropes, webbing straps for protecting tree bark, ridgeline for hanging personal items, stuff sack with printed instructions, overlapping fabric seal with partial velcro closure. Ideal emergency shelter, protection from disease-bearing insects, rain, wind, sun, small reptiles. Used in jungles, damp northern forests, forest fire and search and rescue operations, military operations and field emergencies, Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, scout camps. Built with highest quality fabrics, ropes and fittings. Reviewed by USA Today, Newsweek, Backpacker, Field and Stream,National Geographic Adventure, Soldier of Fortune, dwell Magazine. Can also be used as a tent on the ground and also as a hanging chair or lounger. One year guarantee, superior construction, best quality fabric, ropes and fittings."
Monday, February 21, 2005
Mobile PC - Features - The Top 100 Gadgets of All Time
The Top 100 Gadgets of All Time
An interesting and fun list of items; from Number 100 - The Bedazzler for stapling rhinestones on your clothes, to Number 1 - The Apple Powerbook from the year 1991 (huh?).
In between you'll find cool stuff like a Leatherman, Abacas, Sextant, Atari Pong, Popeil Pocket Fisherman, Genie Garage Door Opener, Military Style Can Opener, Nintendo Game Boy, Hohner Harmonica, The Clapper, Magic 8 Ball, Maglite Flashlights, Swiss Army Knife, and a Pez dispenser.
Fun to read, plus it has little pictures of each item.
Thanks to fine folks at Gizmodo for giving us the steer to this list.
An interesting and fun list of items; from Number 100 - The Bedazzler for stapling rhinestones on your clothes, to Number 1 - The Apple Powerbook from the year 1991 (huh?).
In between you'll find cool stuff like a Leatherman, Abacas, Sextant, Atari Pong, Popeil Pocket Fisherman, Genie Garage Door Opener, Military Style Can Opener, Nintendo Game Boy, Hohner Harmonica, The Clapper, Magic 8 Ball, Maglite Flashlights, Swiss Army Knife, and a Pez dispenser.
Fun to read, plus it has little pictures of each item.
Thanks to fine folks at Gizmodo for giving us the steer to this list.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Precious Suffering
This week's Newsweek article Precious Suffering, written by By Christopher Dickey and Rod Nordland, discusses Pope John Paul's suffering, including his struggles with Parkinson's disease. It is quite moving.
The article talks about the Pope's teaching - with his writing, speaking and his life; about the redemptive power of suffering.
How do we begin to understand what it means to transcend ourselves? A good place to start is with the concept of compassion or feeling for others.
In a Christian viewpoint we use the suffering of Christ on the cross, an innocent who died for our sins, to represent infinite compassion.
Representing something and touching, feeling, "knowing" it are not the same. I saw an advertisement for a Porsche Boxter that shows a view of that Porsche roadster in the rear view mirror of someone's car. The ad line says, "Imagining what it might be like is a poor substitute for knowing."
So what?
I can only imagine what it would be like to be crucified, tortured, to be terminally ill, to be alone, to be cold and homeless...or any other of a thousand ways of imagining what I perceive to be real suffering.
On the other hand we can "know" what suffering is, in fact we will know regardless of any decision we make, because we are human beings, we know what real suffering is.
Even in the most perfect human existence things are temporary which causes us to suffer for their loss. The flower fades...children grow up, parents grow old, spouses, friends and family age and eventually leave us. No matter what we do, no matter how much money or possessions we acquire there is no escaping the fact that what we love will be lost.
There is plenty of suffering to go around. No one is exempt. So what can we do?
We can learn ways to use our suffering for redemptive purposes. To grow spiritually, in love, and with feelings of compassion for all living things. There is much to be learned from knowing "all is suffering" and therefore becoming more compassionate and moving toward enlightenment. I depart company from the Buddhist teachings on this point in that I can't agree that detachment from this world is the mark of ultimate enlightenment. There are times when to move outside ourselves, to try to lose our ego if only for a moment is certainly valuable. I propose that we need to attach to this world rather than detach from it to both fully make use of our God given gifts and to understand at some level the suffering (and thereby gain compassion) of all living things.
Rather than detachment we need to see more attachment. Thoughtful and compassionate people who help build hospitals, shelters, homes, visit the sick, imprisoned and elderly or any number of ways people share their gifts. To care for those who cannot care for themselves is the mark not only of an advanced philosophy or religion but of a society in general. How well do we care for those who are unable to care for themselves?
In my case I know I can do a lot better. I'm at a point in life where I see a need to try and give something back. So very thankful for this time I have had. I will be looking for ways to pay the rent for this time I have spent on earth.
-------------------------------------------
On this Sunday I wish you peace and more specifically the good fortune to be able to take a nice deep breath and enjoy all the beautiful things around you...and the ability to take your compassion and unique gifts into the world to share with others.
We are indeed "all in this together." That is cause for hope.
--------------------------------------------
After I wrote this I thought this isn't really that complicated. I tend to lean towards words sometimes in lieu of action.
One time a person said to me about a woman he cared for -
That's it.
Being good hearted, open hearted; comes naturally to some people (I've been lucky to know quite a few of those people) for others,like me, it takes practice.
The article talks about the Pope's teaching - with his writing, speaking and his life; about the redemptive power of suffering.
"In the pope's 1984 treatise on the redemptive power of suffering, "Salvifici Doloris," he argued that suffering is not punishment for a crime or a sin. As Job understood, as Isaiah preached in the Old Testament, and as Christ taught in the Gospels and in his life, suffering is merely part of the human condition—and can best be answered with love. "Suffering seems to belong to man's transcendence," wrote John Paul. "It is one of those points in which man is in a certain sense 'destined' to go beyond himself."
How do we begin to understand what it means to transcend ourselves? A good place to start is with the concept of compassion or feeling for others.
In a Christian viewpoint we use the suffering of Christ on the cross, an innocent who died for our sins, to represent infinite compassion.
Representing something and touching, feeling, "knowing" it are not the same. I saw an advertisement for a Porsche Boxter that shows a view of that Porsche roadster in the rear view mirror of someone's car. The ad line says, "Imagining what it might be like is a poor substitute for knowing."
So what?
I can only imagine what it would be like to be crucified, tortured, to be terminally ill, to be alone, to be cold and homeless...or any other of a thousand ways of imagining what I perceive to be real suffering.
On the other hand we can "know" what suffering is, in fact we will know regardless of any decision we make, because we are human beings, we know what real suffering is.
Even in the most perfect human existence things are temporary which causes us to suffer for their loss. The flower fades...children grow up, parents grow old, spouses, friends and family age and eventually leave us. No matter what we do, no matter how much money or possessions we acquire there is no escaping the fact that what we love will be lost.
There is plenty of suffering to go around. No one is exempt. So what can we do?
We can learn ways to use our suffering for redemptive purposes. To grow spiritually, in love, and with feelings of compassion for all living things. There is much to be learned from knowing "all is suffering" and therefore becoming more compassionate and moving toward enlightenment. I depart company from the Buddhist teachings on this point in that I can't agree that detachment from this world is the mark of ultimate enlightenment. There are times when to move outside ourselves, to try to lose our ego if only for a moment is certainly valuable. I propose that we need to attach to this world rather than detach from it to both fully make use of our God given gifts and to understand at some level the suffering (and thereby gain compassion) of all living things.
Rather than detachment we need to see more attachment. Thoughtful and compassionate people who help build hospitals, shelters, homes, visit the sick, imprisoned and elderly or any number of ways people share their gifts. To care for those who cannot care for themselves is the mark not only of an advanced philosophy or religion but of a society in general. How well do we care for those who are unable to care for themselves?
In my case I know I can do a lot better. I'm at a point in life where I see a need to try and give something back. So very thankful for this time I have had. I will be looking for ways to pay the rent for this time I have spent on earth.
'Service is the rent we pay for our place on earth...'
"For many years I have believed that the only real and lasting happiness we get is from unselfish service – whether that service be to one's family – to one's friends – to one's community or to one's country. It has been said, ‘Service is the rent we pay for our place on earth,' ...and I am convinced now that in paying that so-called rent we are amply repaid for our service in happiness and pleasant memories that linger for many years."
Nat Goldsmith (1889-1963)
Source Area Foundation - History
-------------------------------------------
On this Sunday I wish you peace and more specifically the good fortune to be able to take a nice deep breath and enjoy all the beautiful things around you...and the ability to take your compassion and unique gifts into the world to share with others.
We are indeed "all in this together." That is cause for hope.
--------------------------------------------
After I wrote this I thought this isn't really that complicated. I tend to lean towards words sometimes in lieu of action.
One time a person said to me about a woman he cared for -
"She has a good heart."
That's it.
Being good hearted, open hearted; comes naturally to some people (I've been lucky to know quite a few of those people) for others,like me, it takes practice.
Irish Jacks
Billy looks like a feisty little guy.
He's a Jack Russell Terrier from Ireland.
Billy lives at a place described in Irishjacks.com in New Jersey.
Billy Jack
He's a Jack Russell Terrier from Ireland.
Billy lives at a place described in Irishjacks.com in New Jersey.
Billy Jack
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Verizon Lost My Data
One man's tale of woe in dealing with the bureaucracy inside a huge conglomerate corporation.
Verizon Lost My Data in December of 2004 and they still haven't found it. The official explanation is "their server's went down in December".
All I can say is I'm glad Verizon.net doesn't host Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Blogger, My Bank Account or any other data I really care about. They have been telling me the webspace was "free" (what do you expect for nothing?). In the case of Gmail or Blogger or Hotmail or Picasa or Hello it turns out we have come to expect a lot.
Actually what Verizon.net was providing me was not free. It was part of a DSL package and I was paying them extra for additional webspace. But even if it was "free" it's simply unconscionable to allow people to think they have a secure storage area when in fact it isn't. I lost hundred(s)? of hours of work. I don't know how many other people were impacted.
I'm turning on comments on this post in hopes that someone from Verizon can come up with a rational explanation for what happened to their web servers in December and their response to the users who lost data. I have very little confidence that anyone would be able to make any kind of statement publically...but who knows? I've gotten 50,000 page views on this site so far this month, maybe someone from Verizon who knows the scoop will pass by.
I've talked to more people than I care to admit via phone and Email in attempts to get a resolution to this issue, from what I thought was an honorable company with a good name. I love my Verizon DSL service. I know, and have known, a variety of phone system employees that are good honorable people.
I'm not saying anything bad about any individual at Verizon. It's the Company that's responsible for ensuring they provide the services people pay for. There's something seriously wrong with the management of any company that forgets "It's the Customer First". It might work for awhile to ignore the customer but in a competitive arena, such as supplying web servers, a Company will quickly lose their market share.
------------------------------------------------
I don't know if everyone is aware but Verizon's headquarters are in New York City. In the event you ever want to call, write or visit The Better Business Bureau National Information System is a good place to start in contacting Verizon.
-------------------------------------------------
Through the wonders of the internets I was able to find this picture of what appears to be a group of Verizon employee's in New York City searching for my site from the top of a skyscraper. ;-)
Kenneth Cole Sale
Click here to save up 50% on your next meal!!!
Verizon Lost My Data in December of 2004 and they still haven't found it. The official explanation is "their server's went down in December".
All I can say is I'm glad Verizon.net doesn't host Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Blogger, My Bank Account or any other data I really care about. They have been telling me the webspace was "free" (what do you expect for nothing?). In the case of Gmail or Blogger or Hotmail or Picasa or Hello it turns out we have come to expect a lot.
Actually what Verizon.net was providing me was not free. It was part of a DSL package and I was paying them extra for additional webspace. But even if it was "free" it's simply unconscionable to allow people to think they have a secure storage area when in fact it isn't. I lost hundred(s)? of hours of work. I don't know how many other people were impacted.
I'm turning on comments on this post in hopes that someone from Verizon can come up with a rational explanation for what happened to their web servers in December and their response to the users who lost data. I have very little confidence that anyone would be able to make any kind of statement publically...but who knows? I've gotten 50,000 page views on this site so far this month, maybe someone from Verizon who knows the scoop will pass by.
I've talked to more people than I care to admit via phone and Email in attempts to get a resolution to this issue, from what I thought was an honorable company with a good name. I love my Verizon DSL service. I know, and have known, a variety of phone system employees that are good honorable people.
I'm not saying anything bad about any individual at Verizon. It's the Company that's responsible for ensuring they provide the services people pay for. There's something seriously wrong with the management of any company that forgets "It's the Customer First". It might work for awhile to ignore the customer but in a competitive arena, such as supplying web servers, a Company will quickly lose their market share.
------------------------------------------------
I don't know if everyone is aware but Verizon's headquarters are in New York City. In the event you ever want to call, write or visit The Better Business Bureau National Information System is a good place to start in contacting Verizon.
-------------------------------------------------
Through the wonders of the internets I was able to find this picture of what appears to be a group of Verizon employee's in New York City searching for my site from the top of a skyscraper. ;-)
Kenneth Cole Sale
Click here to save up 50% on your next meal!!!
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Sunny Spring Day in Everett
Flag is Out
Flower's Too
Patch of Blue (and pink)
Plum Flower Blossom
Original Thundercloud Flowering Plum
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Click here to get $20 off any order for $50 or more of perennials at Gurneys.com!
Selling an Indie Book - NPR Interviews Ron McLarty
NPR has an interview with Ron McLarty about his book 'The Memory of Running' where
"A man takes his childhood bike on a wide-ranging trek."
Sounds good so far...the article goes on to say,
"After having his debut novel, The Memory of Running, repeatedly rejected by publishing houses, writer Ron McLarty took his work straight to the people, and to the Internet. The resulting success gained the attention of author Stephen King -- and eventually that of major publishers."
Sounds great for all those budding authors out there. There is hope.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Always hope.
Good night and good morning to you.
"A man takes his childhood bike on a wide-ranging trek."
Sounds good so far...the article goes on to say,
"After having his debut novel, The Memory of Running, repeatedly rejected by publishing houses, writer Ron McLarty took his work straight to the people, and to the Internet. The resulting success gained the attention of author Stephen King -- and eventually that of major publishers."
Sounds great for all those budding authors out there. There is hope.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Always hope.
Good night and good morning to you.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Need Fast Broadband?
Move to China, Japan or Korea.
Those countries have connection speeds on the order of 10 to 20 times faster than what we enjoy in the U.S.
In a Time Magazine article Gary Rieschel from Mobius Venture Capital says,
Those countries have connection speeds on the order of 10 to 20 times faster than what we enjoy in the U.S.
In a Time Magazine article Gary Rieschel from Mobius Venture Capital says,
"A lot of investment overseas is based on technology that is way ahead of the laptops or desktops that we use. I don't travel with a laptop anymore. My shoulder is two inches lower than other one after 15 years of traveling with it, but it is not necessary anymore. I carry a device made by Danger that has e-mail, a keyboard, phone camera, calender, games, and instant messaging. Only a venture-backed company could be named Danger.
Everyone in Japan uses their cell phones for data; in China, about 70%. Cell phones are fashion statements, and people buy new ones every six to nine months. Shanda Interactive which operates online games, went public last week in New York. It generates $33 million a year in profit just three and a half years into its existence. The funniest example of a niche market is Neowiz, which sells virtual clothing for the virtual person you steer through cyberspace. That's a $100 million a year market. Profit margins are pretty good on virtual clothes. Ring tones for cell phones is now a billion-dollar business. Technology is fashion.
We talk about how great it will be to have high-speed-Internet connections across the U.S. For the moment, the average connection for broadband here is under 300 kilobits per second. Compare that with average connection speeds in Korea of 4 megabits per second and up to 8 megabits per second in Japan. Those speeds are driving innovations that we can't compete with here. So when you begin to fund an information-technology start-up here...and you won't know if you're successful or not for four or five years...it is incumbent for us to understand what is happening in China."
From a Time Magazine article by Eric Roston, "Start-Up Your Engines!" - Time June 7, 2004.
The Serenity Prayer
NPR : The Serenity Prayer: Faith in Times of Peace and War: "NPR interview of Ronald Niebuhr's daughter, Elisabeth Sifton, talking about her book exploring the circumstances that led her father to write the prayer."
Here's a quote of a 12 step version of the Serenity Prayer.
"God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things I can not change...
Courage to
change the things I can
and Wisdom to
know the difference...
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.
--------------------------------
Here's a quote of a 12 step version of the Serenity Prayer.
"God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things I can not change...
Courage to
change the things I can
and Wisdom to
know the difference...
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.
--------------------------------
Sleep Deprivation Experiment
I've been conducting an experiment in sleep deprivation this week.
I think I've gathered enough data for now and will call it good.
It's pretty amazing how quickly sleep deficit begins to effect an old codger like me. Going for a couple of days on a few hours sleep causes me to start to lose focus, forget what I'm saying in mid-sentence and start acting even goofier than usual. Not just silly and goofy but with some irritable and touchy thrown in. Not so good.
Well enough of that...
-------------------------------------
I took a few hour nap and when I woke up found this
ss dream
--------------------------------------
Have you ever heard the story about the boy who kept running into the refrigerator?
One day a boy and his dad were in the kitchen eating cereal. Every so often the boy would get up and run into the refrigerator head-first as hard as he could. Knowing his son was a hard-headed lad and a bit touchy, the father figured he knew what he was doing, and he didn't want to upset him, so he kept reading his paper. Finally dad couldn't bear it anymore and said, "why in the name of God's green earth are you doing that?"
"Because it feels so good when I stop."
It goes like that sometimes...I know I'm that boy every so often.
Need to remember the serenity prayer.
I think I've gathered enough data for now and will call it good.
It's pretty amazing how quickly sleep deficit begins to effect an old codger like me. Going for a couple of days on a few hours sleep causes me to start to lose focus, forget what I'm saying in mid-sentence and start acting even goofier than usual. Not just silly and goofy but with some irritable and touchy thrown in. Not so good.
Well enough of that...
-------------------------------------
I took a few hour nap and when I woke up found this
ss dream
--------------------------------------
Have you ever heard the story about the boy who kept running into the refrigerator?
One day a boy and his dad were in the kitchen eating cereal. Every so often the boy would get up and run into the refrigerator head-first as hard as he could. Knowing his son was a hard-headed lad and a bit touchy, the father figured he knew what he was doing, and he didn't want to upset him, so he kept reading his paper. Finally dad couldn't bear it anymore and said, "why in the name of God's green earth are you doing that?"
"Because it feels so good when I stop."
It goes like that sometimes...I know I'm that boy every so often.
Need to remember the serenity prayer.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Wake Up
I have found many good things on Tom Barrett's site.
This week's Interlude: Meditation of the Week is titled
It's a good one...
This week's Interlude: Meditation of the Week is titled
"Wake Up"
It's a good one...
Cascade Bicycle Club
Cascade Bicycle Club Braking News
These are the folks that put on the Seattle to Portland bicycle ride and a lot of other events. Spring is in the air, maybe time to dust off the old bike.
These are the folks that put on the Seattle to Portland bicycle ride and a lot of other events. Spring is in the air, maybe time to dust off the old bike.
Froogle Wish Lists
I see a few blogs with a "wish list". Not sure what that means...maybe just in case some wish-come-true type reads a person's blog?
What the heck
here's my...Wish List
I don't need the whole case.
Wishing you a good night and good morning...
What the heck
here's my...Wish List
I don't need the whole case.
Wishing you a good night and good morning...
Monday, February 14, 2005
John Paul's
John Paul just got picked to stay on ABC's 'The Bachelorette'. B is watching that TV show while I blog.
She doesn't like his look. I have to admit I don't know what he looks like. B tells me there's something about his mouth she doesn't like.
--------------------------------
The historical John Paul Jones was a heck of a guy, best known for saying, when asked if he was ready to surrender,
When I was a littler boy I had a book about John Paul Jones and other American heroes that I loved to read. Here's a few books that young and not so young folks, might like, about the U.S. Navy and John Paul Jones....America's Sailor.
John Paul Jones America's Sailor (Naval Institute Book for Young Readers)
------------------------------------------
Of course the most well known John Paul of our time is The Holy See - The Holy Father - John Paul II. I hope no one is offended that I mentioned his name in a post about a popular TV show and a famous sailor. I really do like the Pope, not that I know him personally, but he seems very kind and talks about peace in ways most anyone could appreciate. Sad in a way to see how frail he has become. Glad to see he's out of the hospital.
She doesn't like his look. I have to admit I don't know what he looks like. B tells me there's something about his mouth she doesn't like.
--------------------------------
The historical John Paul Jones was a heck of a guy, best known for saying, when asked if he was ready to surrender,
"I have not yet begun to fight."
When I was a littler boy I had a book about John Paul Jones and other American heroes that I loved to read. Here's a few books that young and not so young folks, might like, about the U.S. Navy and John Paul Jones....America's Sailor.
John Paul Jones America's Sailor (Naval Institute Book for Young Readers)
------------------------------------------
Of course the most well known John Paul of our time is The Holy See - The Holy Father - John Paul II. I hope no one is offended that I mentioned his name in a post about a popular TV show and a famous sailor. I really do like the Pope, not that I know him personally, but he seems very kind and talks about peace in ways most anyone could appreciate. Sad in a way to see how frail he has become. Glad to see he's out of the hospital.
glowlab: featured projects: "What is Burning Man?"
glowlab: featured projects: "What is Burning Man?"
"I'd like to go sometime" he thought to himself...while pondering a comparison to his life and
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
"I wonder if I could go in a nicely appointed motor home?"
"Preferably with a driver."
For those of us who like to watch...there's nothing like...
"I'd like to go sometime" he thought to himself...while pondering a comparison to his life and
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
"I wonder if I could go in a nicely appointed motor home?"
"Preferably with a driver."
For those of us who like to watch...there's nothing like...
Sunday, February 13, 2005
everything must go
Steely Dan has a cool looking front page. Those guys play some good music.
I must go
to bed
It's been a fun weekend.
peace
--------------------------------
I must go
to bed
It's been a fun weekend.
peace
--------------------------------
Hi From Jack
Hi From Jack is my new domain. I had server space at Verizon but it got lost. The folks at Verizon are still looking for it...
In the meantime I decided to give Yahoo some of my biz. I really like Yahoo's new my.yahoo page features. It's easy to add an RSS feed and seems to update feeds faster than MSN.
I hope you had a good weekend and are all set for a great week.
We can celebrate the coming of Spring and more light here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Yahoo!
In the meantime I decided to give Yahoo some of my biz. I really like Yahoo's new my.yahoo page features. It's easy to add an RSS feed and seems to update feeds faster than MSN.
I hope you had a good weekend and are all set for a great week.
We can celebrate the coming of Spring and more light here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Yahoo!
Saturday, February 12, 2005
The Girls Have Been Shopping
and I've been home playing with my blog listening to
KPLU "NPR News and All That Jazz"
and drinking Peet's French Roast.
It's a good day in the Pacific Northwest.
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