More about the Flag; Mid-year.

USA Weekend, in its Sunday magazine, had a blurb about flag etiquette (notice I didn't say laws) which was appropos since last week was Flag Day (June 14) and the latest GOP attempt to get us all to 'behave' in a certain fashion. Some interesting points: Congress decreed, some years back, that the flag, since it represents a living, breathing nation, it is therefore, a 'living, breathing' entity, not made out of cloth. Those miracle workers! Giving life to an inaimate object! What's next, the Parting of the Potomac?

In 2003, George Bush, signed his autograph on a flag. Should the President be cited for 'desecration', which itself an interesting word, since it evokes religious devotion. And while, the flag is not meant to be used as an article of clothing or other personal adornment, neither it is to be stretched wide on a football (American) field, either. How come no brouhaha when that is done like there was about 'boobgate' during the Super Bowl a few years back. Neither is the flag to be used as a commercial advertisement to generate sales - remember that the next time you patronize 'Honest Abe's' Used Car Emporium. And as the columnist Leonard Pitts pointed out in a recent column there has been all of 3 or so cases in the past year of actual flag 'desecration'. So, in light of a war which is costing Americans plenty in blood and gold, why is this such a big deal to the GOP. Even attacking the messenger, the 'liberal' New York Times to unite the foolish right wing zealots than did this. Just something to ponder on a summer's day.

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Podcasting - I have downloaded several kinds of podcasts over the last few months, quite a variety, and best of all, unlike Sirius and XM, its free. Some of course, are quite amateurish, others are okay, but I choose not to continue to subscribe, but the ones I do are of course, interesting to me and the best become part of my regular listening repertoire. The best one is PodcastNYC, (link to the right), but Rob's been busy of late. I don't have a video Ipod (I've had it for over a year and half and the battery still hasn't failed me, and I listen for several hours a day - knock on plastic). When it gets time for a new batch, I peruse Ipodder.org (link to the right), Podcastalley and I haven't really checked what's available in Itunes. I still use Ipodder as a 'test bed' for new podcasts and some of the better ones move to Itunes. I am a faithful listener of Bluepower.com, for the best in blues music and although I was destined to abandon it, I have since reconsidered and that is Rockcast, This is the Rock. They come up with just the right mix of current and classic stuff that keeps me coming back for more.

A couple of new ones that I am listening to right now - 'Guy Cast' - college age guys from Maryland talking guy stuff - not for children, 'Horror Cast' as I love horror movies and creepy stuff, a new one, I have yet to listen too, 'Strange Brew' about the paranormal and there are many more to come, including UFOs and Ghosts.

I am not overly religious, as I was born Catholic, don't attend church, but my last church I attended was a Unitarian one in Marlborough. I can't attend one locally, by I listen to a Unitarian Podcast by the Rev. Randy Becker, south of Chicago. One new one I have picked up is the Kings Harbor Ministries for Men, a Wednesday Bible meeting. I find the speakers to be quite interesting and calming and one of the best things about Podcasting is if I get distracted, I can just backup or play again. Didn't think it would hold my interest, but it is. I read the Bible on occasion, and am currently reading the Book of Psalms. But you won't get sermons from me.

I also have been picking of the Daily Podcast from the Libertarian Cato Institute and coming to an Ipod near you - the Superman Podcast. Yes, there is one out there.

I have also found another use for the Ipod. I recently (last weekend) went on my first camping trip with Bruce and Rozz to Vermont. I had never been to that state, and I loved it. Its Oregon East. But, so I wont forget my experiences, I dictated my musings into the Ipod via a Griffin Italk microphone. It ends up as an audio voice message in Itunes, so I can play it back when it comes time to transcribe it here. When I get some webspace (coming) to store them, it'll be the first 'Pigcast'. I got the Italk when I got my Ipod for use in dictating book ideas like the History of Virginia City, Gloucester fishermen, Mayors of New York or 'Etched in Stone' a book about cemeteries and stone buildings and monuments.

Not all Podcasts make the cut - I was listening to a Music from Brazil Podcast, but it was too much Portuguese so I dropped it, I already have a Podcast on Itunes - Radio Macondo, Music from Cuba. I also have podcast on personal growth like 'metamorphosis', listened to a Podcast novel 'Earth Core' and have Mandarin lessons as well. Some are short lived like '3 Minutes in Shanghai' about an American living in Shanghai. I no longer lsiten to the South China Morning Post from Hong Kong. (mostly business and banking). One benefir of using Ipodder over Itunes, I import files from the download folders into Itunes as a Playlist and can listen them in sequence as opposed to Itunes '1 of 1' format. As you can see, i am never bored - walking, camping, whatever, my Ipod is always with me.

I have also caught up on Aaron The Truck Driver's blog -(link to the right). Always interesting, but now its time to move on to the next blog in the queue. I found a Cacti Blog for example with only a few entries. I have also read all the Shadowlands haunted places in California, (A-R). More spooky sites in California, than all previous states combined - 764, bringing the total to 1272 so far. Still have to read S-Z.

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In The Garden:

I have started a new group of mixed cacti seeds that were backordered from Seedrack on June 13. I have about 38 sprouts. Many more seeds than the Home Depot/Walmart variety. In fact, I was in Walmart today and they have taken down their seed rack, just as In was starting to send seeds as gifts. I sent a packet to my friend Chris with a 'birthday' card (no it wasn't her birthday).

I have given up on the Kona Coffee (although it COULD sprout anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months) been about 8 weeks and Tea (camellia senenis), even after scarifying the seeds. I have also gieven up on the Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea Muscipula). In many of my failures, I think its due to me 'burying' the seeds.

On the plus side though, I got fresh Lithops seeds from CSSA Seed Depot and they HAVE sprouted, - Lithops Aucampiae, Dinteri, Fulviceps adn Karasmontana have all sprouted! (Woo-hoo) as well as my Stetsonia Coryne, and Echinopsis Pachanoi (San Pedro). i also have about 8-10 remnants of the January sowing

I also have 3 Dawn Redwood sprouts (Metasequoia Glyptostroboides - I hope they survive) and several little Colorado Blue Spruce sprouts (Picea Pungens Glauca) which are doing quite well despite being flooded out due to our near constant deluge of water and humity. I fear for my cactus sprouts - I want to keep them moist, but with such a lack of sun, there is mold growing here and there.

And I just planted Black Dragon Coleus - Solenostemon Scutellaroides (so they'll be a decent size in time for Pemi.

I can't help myself - yesterday I ordered Pachpodium seeds (Madagascar Palm) - Geayi, Horombense, Brevicaule and Densiflorum as well as Astrophytum Asterias and Pilosocereus Gounellii, just to make it their while to send the order. All for $4.50 (inc. S &H)

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The Numbers for June. On June 10, it was the one year anniverssry of having a site meter on the Pig. Someone, from somewhere (parts unkown) was a vistor nearest the 9PM anniversary, (6PM PST as this began in Las Vegas)>

But here is the roundup:

AZ, CT,GA (several),LA,IL,MO,NV,NY,O,OK,RI,TN,TX (a few), WA and WI.

MA - Quincy, Arlington, Hanover and Waltham
CA - Palo Alto,San Diego and Sunnyvale

Foreign: Canada, (Ontario), France, Italy, Japan, Korea (there is an 'all things Korean' podcast out there that I will check out), Switzerland, Turkey and the UK.

Thanks for visiting