God Works in Mysterious and Exciting Ways...

I'm in Austin. I've just spent an incredible weekend full of incredible music at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. The people who are hosting me via couchsurfing.com are incredible. The people I've met through them are incredible. All following two incredible trips to Chicago, full of more incredible people.

I still need to write about all of that. Life is moving too fast and I can't keep up! But, right now I really want to share something else.

The mysterious ways God has interwoven this particular friend of mine into my life simply excites me. It may seem small to everyone else, but it means so much to me.

I met Audra in Greece. It was my broadcast professor, Greeley Kyle, who gave me her contact info after I had expressed to him that I wanted to do work that involved more "ministry and service". At the time, Audra was working with a Baptist group in Thessaloníki. (Writing about that trip is long overdue... and unfortunately must still wait). Aside from being an incredible host in Greece and trekking all over the mainland with me, Audra also offered a lot of guidance in the whole health/breakout issue. She is the one who encouraged me to do the colon cleanse, about which I'm sure most of you have heard me rave. My mom had just starting learning about it from her friend, so the timing of Audra's insight was uncanny.

Since Greece, Audra and I have kept in touch via our emails and our blogs. She is now working for CBN's the 700 Club. Just a couple of days ago I sent out a plea for prayers... for God to simply offer me some guidance in this exciting and seemingly enchanting time in my life right now, with a lot of options going a lot of different ways. I made sure to include Audra on that list because she has always offered me much wisdom. I read her response literally minutes after I read about fasting at a local organic smoothie shop in Austin, TX:

Hey Girl!

Thank you so much for the story idea. Ideas are always appreciated :)
Looks like a fun one too!

I felt like I was in that same place a year ago. I will do some very
heartfelt praying for you. I believe in full-faith that God will
specifically show you which way to turn and then bless your path beyond
your wildest imagination.

Here is something that has always really helped me when making huge
life decisions: try fasting. Even if for a short amount of time...it
always seems to help me clear my head, heart, and get me humble before
God. It's hard to make a wrong turn after you have done those things. I
will try to get you some bible verses together tomorrow when I have
some time. Just pray and ask Him how long you should fast and then He
usually send you some kind of "word" or direction at the end of the
fasting. It has worked in a miraculous way for me, EVERY time. I
usually do a juice or liquid fast, but I have also done a "Daniel" fast
for longer periods--which is fruits and vegtables--there are lots of
options.

I am so proud of you...and FOR you. Life is such an amazing adventure
when you seek HIS will for your life. Remember, He has made you for
something SPECIFIC and He won't let you miss it. He is just as
interested in leading you to it...as you are in finding it :) It's for
HIS glory!!!! Yeah!

Once again, an uncanny timing of great advice from a invaluable friend. For me, instances like these demonstrate God working intimately in my life in a most blatant way... and it's so exciting... seeing that blatant demonstration of God in your life!

Audra also included a prayer request of her own... a sort of "double duty praying" as she put it. She says "some AMAZING 'God' things have been happening lately." She asked for prayers on Oct. 6th. I will most certainly be praying for her and I invite anyone else who is so inclined to join me. I will also be fasting with her in spirit beginning Oct. 3rd.

Interesting date. The plan is for me to cover the Le Mans race in Atlanta beginning the 3rd.

Urban Wilderness Chicago: Part 1

Time to play some more catch up. Last weekend I ventured out to Chicago on my own on a kind of spur of the moment whim. I looked up a few Chicagoans on Couchsurfing.com, secured a free place to crash and off I went!

I wound up staying with a couple of local playwrights, one of whom dabbled more in acting than in playwriting. They had me meet them at the Neo-futurarium to see a production of The Fool (Returns to His Chair). My hosts were not involved in this particular production, but the are very involved with the neo-futurists. The playhouse experiments with the interaction of an audience and its performers, and the play was curiously engaging to say the least. I'm still mulling over just how I felt about it. At one point, I even imagined that I somehow stumbled into a Laura McNamara version of the Truman Show and that I was ultimately the fool. That wasn't the case, but I did start to wonder...

After the play, I joined one of my hosts, Ira Murfin, and some of his friends for dinner at Andies, a Mediterranean restaurant. The food was excellent and I tried Basmati dill rice for the first time. I need to look up the recipe. It was a fun, zingy twist to the traditional side of rice. Good food and good conversation. I ws particularly enthralled with Ira's account of his volunteer work at a developing architectural community in Arizona called Arcosanti. Here's a brief description of the premise behind the community:

In 1970, the Cosanti Foundation began building Arcosanti, an experimental town in the high desert of Arizona, 70 miles north of metropolitan Phoenix. When complete, Arcosanti will house 5000 people, demonstrating ways to improve urban conditions and lessen our destructive impact on the earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve, keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban dwellers.

Arcosanti is designed according to the concept of arcology (architecture + ecology), developed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri. In an arcology, the built and the living interact as organs would in a highly evolved being. This means many systems work together, with efficient circulation of people and resources, multi-use buildings, and solar orientation for lighting, heating and cooling.

Sounds fascinating to me. Ira wrote an essay which was included in a book on Paolo Soleri. His essay demonstrates how Soleri's Cosanti concept and his Arcosanti community are not just about architecture, but also about an approach to architecture that seems more or less counter-intuitive to society today. An approach where less is more and where vision is integral to realization.

Ira explained that anyone can participate. You sign up for a 4-week training workshop and then you stay on site and help develop the community. I've been pining away about going back to grad school for architecture ever since my brief stay in Rome. I think this would be an excellent way to introduce myself to the field. Participating in the Arcosanti development is now on my list of immediate priorities.

More to come on the Urban Wilderness Chicago experience...

Psychedelic Purple Rubber Thingamajig

In case you're wondering what, exactly, is depicted in my frantic excuse for a photo... it's a close-up of one of those fun pliable, rubber balls with hair-like tentacles that you can squish and bulge. Why is it so entertaining to squeeze these suckers? I'm squishing it right now and I can't stop...

This Love...

I wrote this awhile back and kept it as a draft. I forgot about it and then just found it. Not sure why I didn't just post before...

Don't you see?
I'm your child... begging thee.
If there's one thing that I could want
to be the very thing you want for me
This would be it. This would be it.

My heart says this love
reflects your love.
this love
draws your love
this love
is your love.

But it's too late
it was too late before there was even a chance.
I try to accept
those wrenching things I cannot change
but why do I feel this love
is so intricately tied
to the love you want to reveal to me?

my heart says this love
reflects your love
this love
draws your love
this love
is your love

give me sight to see the truth
give me the strength to face you
to face myself
my personal sacrifice
be it your fingers entwined with mine

can it be?
Abraham killing Isaac?
Peter eating pork?

Zonked...

My poor lil' sis came home from a weekend spent out of town with the cousins miserably sick. My brother came home wound up like a top. Half an hour later they were both passed out. A little an r&r remedied my lil' bro's hyper over-exhaustion. The nap also perked up my sis, but she's still fighting a bug. I pray she gets well soon!

A Modern Love Story...

I'm such a sap for romance, so I had to post this young man's plea for help. I'm a member of couchsurfing.com, a network of travelers who offer their couches, knowledge of local flavor and camaraderie to fellow travelers. Sometimes, more than that:

Hello, My name is Nicolas and i am from Buenos Aires,
Argentina. I am writing this because in need your help
to save love. It won´t take you long.

Me and my girlfriend are also couchsurfers for more
than two years now (we actually meet in New Zealand by
chance, and we have always lived really closes in out
city).

The problem i have is that i had to move to Netherlands
to finish my studies, and this will take me almost 2
years. It is always hard to continue a long-distance
relationship, and altough we are both trying really
hard, Jenny, my girlfriend, is having a really hard
time to do it. We miss each other very much, and that
causes her a lot of pain.

So far, she had visited me one time here, and as a
surprise i took her to Paris, the city of love, to
share together the discovery of a city we have never
been before.

Here i have the link of a video a made of this trip,
and it is also a way to give her strenght to carry on.
Its a video to say, thanks for supporting me and i love
you.

What i would like is to do is to promote this video as
much as i can, and that people leave messages for
Jenny, to support this love and give her back
strenghts to continue fighting for this. So if you
could go to my youtube link, which is below, you will
see us in Paris, and you could leave a message. If you
are feeling extra kind today, you can also forward
this messege to person who have also love someone and
now how we feel...

Please help me with this i am trying to do!

And i apologice if you consider this Spam, i was not my
intention to bother....
Also sorry for beeing so corny, but you know how is
love , right?

Thank you a lot!!!
Nicolas

A Few Little Treasures Along the Way...

God painted the sky for me during my run today. I rounded a bend that opened to a clearing from the woods and I saw a blazing, fuschia ball emitting a pink-orange glow that melted into an ever-changing, holographic blue sky as it was slowly being swallowed up by the horizon.

Which reminds me... I forgot to mention yesterday that an ivy-green humming bird popped in to say hello. I was bringing Vanilla pup into the house and she lingered behind, so I turned back and was greeted with the whirring of frantic wings and the jerky zig zags of a humming bird. The bird quickly zigged forward into the doorway, then, just as quickly she zagged back out, paused in mid-air as only humming birds can do as if to check out Vanilla, then whirred out of sight.

A "starving musician", j. elliot, dropped by my blog yesterday. Looks like he's new to blogspot. He's the one who gave me the great word: prolegomenon. I checked out his blog to discover an ambition greater than any of those I spelled out yesterday. He'll be creating a new song every week. I have to say, I'm impressed. One line in his first song really struck me: "You can't hold on to nothing if nothing don't want to be held." An obvious truth that I think sometimes we are so quick to ignore...

The Pup

Okay, J. Elliot. This post is just for you. Well, you and my puppy Vanilla... I mean, my bro and sis's puppy. Yeah that's what I meant. Prolegomenon is defined on dictionary.com as a preliminary discussion; introductory essay, as prefatory matter in a book; a prologue. Great word btw. Thanks for introducing it to me. Might I ask where you first stumbled upon that word? Or did you just open the dictionary and blindly point? ; )

I think Vanilla gives new meaning to the word turf monster... Look how much she's grown since the last time I took her photo just a few weeks ago! The last pic is from when I first adopted Vanilla in mid-June.

It's Not New Year's...

...but, it is September 1st and I have a few resolutions. I figured I'd post them and then maybe some of you would hold me accountable and nag me every once in a while about them.

1) Post on the blog at least once every day, even if it's just a word. Really, some words are worth posting. Like, quagmire for instance. Btw, it means swamp.

2) Take at least one picture a day. When I wrote this I realized I needed to start today... hence the random picture of my brother's ceramic dragon that he painted. I might as well include the pic-a-day in my post-day.

3) Reestablish my daily run. I always get lazy after soccer season. I'm spoiled by getting to replace my run with soccer, then when soccer ends I don't want to run. I should start training for a marathon again. Well, I've got a long way to go from my meager 2.5 mile run tonight. But, just over a year ago I was running 18 mile runs, so I'm confident I can get there again. Though it will be difficult with my traveling work schedule. We'll see about the marathon right now (though it is on my long term list of things to do)... but, in the ever present now, the daily run is a must.

4) Institute a daily pilates workout. Even if it's just one of those 10 minute ones. Why you ask? Have you seen the crazy strength and balance these pilates people have?? Have you felt their rock hard bodies?? I think pilates is perfect for women who want to get toned without bulking up. I see no reason why I shouldn't be one of them. I'll be doing my pilates workout just after this post.

5) Study for the GRE at least 20 mins a day. I keep talking about how I want to go back to school for graduate studies. Well, I need to knock out the GRE to do that and it's time to stop yapping and start doing. So, I will be following up my pilates workout with GRE study time.

I have many more ambitions, such as shooting a documentary, learning an instrument, kayaking a river, climbing a mountain, learning at least 5 languages, learning to surf, etc... However, I think this is a start. Once the first three become part of the daily routine I can add three and the GRE is short-term, finished when I take it. So that can be replaced with a new goal once its done.

Well... feel free to nag!

Paul Harvey Writes...

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.
I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.
I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.


I hope I remember this yearning if I should ever be blessed with children.

Geo-Fun

I think we could all use a fun, little geography lesson!

National Geographic Young Explorers Atlas Goes Interactive to Prepare Kids for Global Future

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The third edition of the award-winning NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WORLD ATLAS FOR YOUNG EXPLORERS debuts this fall with all new maps, photographs, graphics and -- for the first time ever -- an interactive companion website.

The atlas contains more than 100 pages of colorful, easy-to-read, full-spread political and physical maps, each custom-designed for youngsters ages 8-12 by National Geographic's world-renowned cartographers. Each kid-friendly map reflects the latest place-name and boundary changes and is shown in the context of surrounding areas. Same-size physical and political maps make for easy comparisons and help students understand how physical features influence human activity.

Also included in this easy-to-navigate atlas are 25 thematic map spreads on such topics as environmental hot spots, natural disasters, population, religions, energy and mineral resources; fact boxes with the latest statistics and information; photo essays; flags and stats for every country; a glossary; and a comprehensive index. The atlas is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs.

A companion website, nationalgeographic.com/kids-world-atlas, offers links to photos, video, audio and games, allowing kids to go beyond the printed page. Bright, bold web link icons throughout the book direct kids to hundreds of multimedia resources. Searching by page, topic or media type, kids can watch videos of animals in their natural surroundings, listen to music from many different cultures, download pictures and maps for school reports, send e-postcards to friends and play games that allow them to explore the world interactively.

The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WORLD ATLAS FOR YOUNG EXPLORERS reinforces National Geography Standards developed by the National Council for Geographic Education and is a guide to National Geographic's vast repository of online content.

Geography education is at the heart of National Geographic's mission. A coalition of business, nonprofit and education leaders, led by National Geographic, recently launched a five-year, public engagement campaign, My Wonderful World, to inspire parents and educators to give kids the power of global knowledge. A website, www.mywonderfulworld.org, is at the heart of the campaign. Since 1988, National Geographic has developed a world-class Education Foundation and programs that provide geography learning opportunities for young people in and out of the classroom. The National Geographic Bee, a nationwide contest, attracts nearly 5 million fourth- through eighth-graders each year.

Ring of Hell

I've heard the animal rights groups can exaggerate and be borderline absurd in their claims. But, if anything as described below is going on I am boycotting the circus.

Elephants Beaten with Bullhooks in the Name of Entertainment

Former Ringling Brothers Employees Bolster Federal Lawsuit Against Circus

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and others seek permission for three former circus employees to join in their federal lawsuit against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus under the Endangered Species Act. The suit alleges that Ringling Bros. mistreats and abuses the Asian elephants it uses in shows all across the country.

Former Ringling Bros. employees Archele Hundley, Margaret Tom and Robert Tom Jr. witnessed elephant cruelty before leaving the circus last summer. Their observations reaffirm evidence previously described by existing plaintiff and former Ringling Bros. employee Tom Rider, which includes the routine striking of elephants with bullhooks, and chaining of the animals for long periods of time.

Hundley, who quit the circus because she found the mistreatment of the animals too upsetting, recalled an incident where notorious animal trainer, Sacha Houcke used a bullhook in an attempt to force an elephant named Baby to lie down. After smacking her with the bullhook repeatedly with no success, Houcke inserted the bullhook into Baby's ear canal, and while holding the bullhook's handle with both hands, he pulled down on Baby's ear with all of his weight, causing her to bleed profusely and squeal in pain.

In describing an episode that happened earlier this year when an elephant named Asia defecated on one of the dancers during her routine, Margaret Tom stated that she "witnessed two guys beat Asia the minute she left the stage, hitting her at least 10 times with bullhooks, making her scream."

Margaret Tom's husband, Robert Tom Jr., reported that elephants are hit with bullhooks daily. He described an elephant who bled from the back and screamed in pain from a beating that lasted approximately 30 minutes. The trainer exerted so much energy that "he would periodically sit in a chair to take a break, then return to the elephant and start hooking again."

"These witnesses reinforce what we know Ringling Bros. is anxious to hide," said Tracy Silverman, General Counsel for AWI. "We are pleased that these former employees have come forward to reveal what goes on behind the scenes of the big tent, and we are eager to present this evidence in court."

The Washington, D.C. law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal is representing AWI and its co-plaintiffs, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Fund for Animals, the Animal Protection Institute and another former Ringling employee, Tom Rider. Trial is expected to commence sometime next year.

Plea For Prayers for Burning Greece

My colleague whom I visited in Greece just passed along a an email from a friend she introduced me to while I was visiting her. She is back in the U.S. working for CBN now, but our friend is in the middle of a burning crisis. This news hits me in the pit of my stomach, leaving a lump in my throat that can't be swallowed back. As Audra puts it, this is "heartbreaking." Please keep him, his country and his people in your prayers:

Dear friends

By now you probably heard about the fires that rage in the southern part of Greece, on the last unburned mountain in Athens, and in Evia. The eruption of the fires in the areas affected have been simultaneous and most likely the majority of them have been set by arsonists. So far, there are 64 dead, many injured and hundreds of thousands of acres burned. Dozens of homes destroyed, agricultural land, pastures, and entire flocks of sheep, herds of cows and the devastation is still continuing as you read this e-mail. The prime minister has declared the whole nation under a stage of emergency and all the affected areas are declared disaster areas. There are 110 completely destroyed villages turned into ghost areas. Overall it is said to be the fourth worst fire on record globally since 1871!!!

Especially, in the area of southwestern Greece, in Peloponnesus, the destruction is the most felt with the most deaths.

• Please pray for the people that have been devastated and for God’s grace to meet them at their need
• For ways that we are looking at meeting that need in His name
• For whatever principalities and authorities that are not of this world that are active that God will deal with them according to His perfect will
• For people that we will be talking with will sense the need for God’s grace in their lives and receive Him as Lord
• For all those ministering in His name that will be able to bring hope in a hopeless situation
• Pray how to find key ways to reach out to the mutlitude of needs that will come out of this diaster and for Jesus' mercy to be shown to those afflicted.

Blessings

Ignatius

Here's the story from the New York Times:

ATHENS, Aug. 25 — Greece declared a national state of emergency on Saturday as scores of forest fires that have killed at least 46 people continued to burn out of control, leaving some villages trapped within walls of flames, cut off from firefighters and, in some cases, from firefighting aircraft grounded because of high winds.

The charred wreckage of cars on Saturday in the Peloponnesian peninsula.

Desperate people called television and radio stations pleading for help that they feared would not arrive in time.

“I can hear the flames outside my door,” one caller from the village of Andritsena told a Greek television station, according to Reuters news service. “There is no water anywhere. There is no help. We are alone.”

Although most of the fires have been on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, some broke out on the outskirts of Athens on Saturday, forcing the evacuation of homes and a monastery and closing a major road linking the capital to the main airport for several hours. The national fire brigade said that by evening it had brought those blazes under control, including one that came within about six miles of the city.

The government response to the fires, Greece’s worst in decades, is leading to renewed criticism of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis less than a month before parliamentary elections. Mr. Karamanlis had already been heavily criticized for his government’s handling of fires earlier this summer.

The country has been vulnerable to fire this summer because of drought and three consecutive heat waves that sent temperatures soaring over 100 degrees. More than 3,000 forest fires have razed thousands of acres of wooded areas since June; the earlier fires killed nine people.

The latest spate of fires on the peninsula started Friday. Strong, hot winds have spread the flames.

“The situation is unbelievable,” said Yiannis Stamoulis, a spokesman for the Greek Fire Brigade. “We’re dealing with savage forces of nature and it’s humanly impossible to effectively take them on, however strong and well prepared we may be.”

He added, “We’re fighting an asymmetrical war.”

Firefighters expect the death toll to rise, because they have not yet been able to search some areas that had been overrun by flames.

Hardest hit by the fires were a dozen hamlets tucked into the rural highlands around the town of Zaharo in the western peninsula, where at least 12 people, including some who may have been trying to flee by car, were killed.

Charred bodies were found in cars, houses and fields in areas around Zaharo, firefighters said.

At least some of the people there were believed to have been killed or trapped after a collision between a fire truck and a convoy of cars apparently trying to flee the flames.

Scores of other residents, including elderly and disabled people, remained trapped in their homes, phoning in to local television and radio stations, crying for help.

“Help! Help! Help!” wailed one resident as he spoke with Mega television from the town of Artemida. “Get some one here fast. We’re losing everything.”

Minutes later, another caller pleaded for authorities to help save her two children, one of whom she feared was in shock after having seen their home go up in flames.

South of Zaharo, rescue teams confirmed at least six deaths in the seaside town of Areopolis, in the Mani region, a popular tourist destination known for its rugged cliffs and ravines.

Among the victims in the area were a pair of French hikers who were trapped in a flaming ravine. Their charred bodies were found locked in an embrace, the authorities said.

Hotels and dozens of surrounding villages have been evacuated.

With national elections set for Sept. 16, Mr. Karamanlis suspended campaigning over the weekend to oversee the national response to the fires.

Late Saturday, Mr. Karamanlis appeared on national television and declared that he was mobilizing all of the country’s resources to tackle the blazes to “prevail in a battle that must be won.” Mr. Karamanlis also suggested that the recent fires might have been purposely set. “So many fires sparked simultaneously in so many regions is no coincidence,” he said, wearing a black tie and suit in a show of mourning. “We will get to the bottom of this and punish those responsible.”

But political opponents accused the prime minister of shunning responsibility for what the authorities have called a “national tragedy.”

“Rather than deflect attention and lay blame on some anonymous arsonist, the prime minister should take blame for the government’s failure to effectively handle this crisis,” said Nikos Bistis, a opposition socialist lawmaker, on local television.

The overstretched national fire services are being helped by an estimated 6,000 soldiers mobilized for the operation. The national teams take control of forest fires from community brigades.

A fleet of water-dumping aircraft was expected from France, Germany and Norway, after Greece appealed to the European Union for “urgent assistance.”

Another good link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20423441/

Primal Glory

Primal. That's how Tom describes the Channel Islands. I have to agree; his description is dead on. But, that's not surprising. Tom featured the islands in one of the shows in his Adventure Highway series, which aired on the Outdoor Life Network.

These beautiful islands are located just off the coast of California near Ventura. Tom says a lot of locals don't even know the islands are there. But hordes of sea lions barking on pebble beaches, pods of dolphins smoothly rolling through the water like waves and flocks of pelicans and gulls call these exquisite islands home. Mysterious caves dot the sides of cliffs, some accessible by sea, others looming high above. I took out Tom's kayak to explore. My first cave gulped in the sea with its wide mouth, but quickly narrowed into a small tunnel that left me wondering just how far it delved. Drifting into the second cave, I watched blue-green light bouncing and shimmering off the walls like magic stardust. The lapping of my paddle echoed beyond the bend and out of sight. I crept through the caverned halls decorated in sparkling diamonds and rounded the bend to see a burst of bright sunlight illuminating the turquoise sea. Yes, these islands are primal and glorious.

There were other kayakers who led me to a small channel formed by two big boulders jutting up from the ocean; fortresses for the pelicans and gulls. They showed me how to wait and time my strokes so that I could ride a gush of waves through the rocky water.

Tom and I spent the entire day out near those islands. As we picnicked on the boat I watched the brown-green kelp swaying gently just under the surface of the water. Of course, the day wasn't complete without catching a few waves. Well, Tom did anyway. We both suited up, but I simply struggled with learning how to paddle on a board and sit on it without losing my balance. Tom rode the waves, dodging rocks covered in spiky urchins. It was a little dangerous, but Tom was "stoked" after catching some "rad" rides.

By evening we were back in the harbor ready to grab some fresh fish for dinner. That night the sea slowly rocked me to sleep and the gulls cried the lullaby as I lied below deck in the cozy bowel of the boat.

Truth Among Lies?

The whirlwind of political bs that swarms tv, radio, emails, etc around election time always discourages me. It's hard figuring out who to trust. But it looks like the St. Petersburg Times is willing to call out the liars with their pants on fire...

St. Petersburg Times and CQ Launch PolitiFact.com

New site helps voters uncover the truth in presidential campaign

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The St. Petersburg Times of Florida and Congressional Quarterly of Washington, D.C. -- two of America's most trusted, independent newsrooms -- are launching a unique Web site to help voters separate fact from falsehood in the claims made during the 2008 presidential campaign. The official launch date is Tuesday, Sept. 4th.

The site, called PolitiFact.com, features a "truth-o-meter" that scores the truthfulness of specific claims by the presidential candidates. New findings will be published every weekday, and sources will be listed for all to see.

"Each election year, citizens across the country suffer a barrage of campaign rhetoric and lament: 'just gimme the truth'," said Neil Brown, Executive Editor and Vice President of the St. Petersburg Times. "Now we'll have a site that separates fact from fiction."

Journalists and researchers from the Times and CQ will fact-check the accuracy of many speeches, TV ads, interviews and other campaign claims and communications.

PolitiFact is bolder than previous journalistic fact-checking efforts because the editors will make a call, declaring whether a claim is True, Mostly True, Half True, Barely True, or False. There is a special category for the most ridiculous claims called "Pants on Fire."

That may seem risky to many editors, but the independence and reputation for journalistic excellence of both the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly make this ambitious effort possible.

"PolitiFact will offer readers the choice of quick scorecards or longer stories explaining the issues and rulings," said Mike Riley, senior vice president and editor of CQ Publications. "It will be driven by an extensive database that allows users to search for candidates' records of accuracy based on their names, issues, or the rulings of the 'truth-o-meter'."

PolitiFact journalists will also publish an "attack file" -- a home for fact-checking the attacks candidates make against each other. In a world of political bloggers and "independent" political action committees, attacks don't just come from the candidates themselves. So PolitiFact will also check out many of the claims that enter the public discourse via a talk show host, a blogger, or even a fictional character in a YouTube video.

PolitiFact's lead writer and editor is Bill Adair, Washington Bureau Chief of the Times. He will work under the direction of Times government/politics editor Scott Montgomery, himself a CQ veteran. Items will be researched and written by more than a dozen members of the award-winning staffs of the Times and CQ.

The Art of Underwear Squirming

This is just funny.

Video: Jockey Urges America To Stop Squirming

New interactive campaign engages consumers in the fight against uncomfortable underwear

KENOSHA, Wis., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Jockey International, Inc., launches a humorous new web site targeting a younger audience and drawing attention to the often taboo topic of uncomfortable underwear situations. StopSquirming.com showcases the comical and sometimes outrageous ways that men and women try to alleviate discomfort caused by ill-fitting underwear that shifts, bunches or rides up, while highlighting Jockey(R) undergarments as a solution that will put an end to squirming once and for all.

StopSquirming.com features videos of common squirms caused by uncomfortable undies, such as the "Bus Change" squirm which involves burrowing your hands into your front pockets pretending to dig for change while fixing underwear that is bunching or creeping. Site visitors can upload videos of their own signature squirms, view funny squirm videos posted by other participants and vote on their favorite squirms.

The launch of StopSquirming.com represents Jockey's first viral marketing campaign as the company seeks to generate buzz and build brand awareness with a new, younger consumer base. The campaign is part of a larger corporate initiative that includes marketing, branding and new product introductions designed to attract younger consumers to the brand.

"Through a funny and edgy approach, we hope to focus consumer attention on the issue of uncomfortable underwear and the solution provided by Jockey's superior fitting undergarments," said Tim Pitt, Vice President of Global Marketing and Advertising at Jockey International, Inc. "The campaign's interactive online format and highly amusing content allows Jockey to engage younger consumers in a more meaningful, relevant way."

In addition to uploading and viewing squirms, StopSquirming.com gives consumers the opportunity to protect their friends from embarrassing underwear situations by sending a "Grundy Grievance(TM)" email that alerts them to their underwear problem. Users can choose between three different wacky Grievance Counselors to deliver one of five tailored video messages about underwear offenses ranging from saggy skivvies to ugly undies.

Nice To Know It's Not Always About Prestige...

What's interesting is not that Texas A&M ranks number one, but that Washington Monthly says it doesn't let prestige influence its ranking. I like that. I'll definitely consider this guide when choosing where to go to grad school.

Washington Monthly Ranks Texas A&M Above Princeton in Annual College Rankings

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Washington Monthly magazine today releases its annual College Guide, designed as an alternative to U.S. News & World Report and similar guides. Texas A&M takes the number one spot among national universities on the Washington Monthly list, while Princeton, U.S. News's top-ranked school, comes in at 78.

UCLA and UC Berkeley place second and third respectively among national universities in the Washington Monthly rankings. Among liberal arts colleges, Presbyterian (SC), Smith (MA), and Wheaton (IL) take the top three spots respectively, far above their U.S. News rankings.

This year's guide also offers a first-of-its-kind list of America's Best Community Colleges, and reveals that these little-known two-year institutions actually offer more rigorous and successful teaching than do many four-year universities ranked in U.S. News' top tier.

The Washington Monthly's rankings come just weeks after sixty-one liberal arts college presidents announced that they will no longer participate in U.S. News's annual rankings because of what they charge is the magazine's flawed method for measuring academic excellence.

Unlike U.S. News' prestige-focused ranking system, the Washington Monthly rates individual schools based on their tangible contributions to the public interest: on the degree to which they recruit and graduate low-income students; produce PhDs and research; and encourage students to serve in ROTC, the Peace Corps and other service programs. While other guides ask, "what can colleges do for you?" The Washington Monthly asks, "what are colleges doing for the country?"

Looking for Video?

Lumerias.com searches include but are not limited to Youtube.

Video Search Engine Lumerias.com Goes Live

After Months of Development, a New Video Search-Engine Named Lumerias.com Opens its Doors

DUISBURG, Germany, August 9/PRNewswire/ -- The service offers a simple solution to search and navigate the rapidely growing amount of online video. The system behind Lumerias.com processes all major video formats, including WindowsMedia, QuickTime and the popular Flash Video format. This enables the seach engine's users to find videos from all kinds of sources and all major social video sites.

The growing variety of content on the internet pushes the search-engine market to evolve and specialize. Lumerias.com is a result of this development and focuses on video - with search results served on a simple interface that renders other services with tedious and cluttered pages obsolete.

Lumerias.com is not a meta search-engine, this means Lumerias.com is based purely on original technology developed specifically for the task of processing video data. The index is the result of continuous webcrawls and holds in its current phase over two million searchable videos.

Over the next months a number of innovations will improve the quality of search results. Lumerias.com's team is busy developing algorithms to automatically make sense of the indexed videos' image data and to transcribe their content. These techniques will then be put to use to further supplement the index which will hold over ten million videos in its next phase.

Speaking of Yahoo! Answers...

...check it out! It's a great forum for debate and discussion or for simply getting tips on things like how to keep brown sugar from hardening. Ask. Answer. Discover.

Virtually Bonkers (Pun Intended)

Okay. I'm a huge supporter of the internet, its value for information sharing and its capacity to make life more efficient. BUT, I think these benefits should be meant only to enhance reality, not replace it. I understand online communities. They enable people to connect with others throughout the world in a way that was never before possible. Yet, to have online events such as a "virtual water fight" has reached the point of absurdity. Don't people realize the inherent fun in a water fight is the hot summer day, the shocking coolness of a water balloon crashing over your steamy skin and the laughter of children lazily drifting through the muggy air?

Developing an online community for idea-sharing such as Yahoo! Answers: I get.

Developing an online community to replace your life with one lived in a chair in front of your desk: I don't get.

This is a developing topic I am interested in exploring further, but right now, I'm too busy living in the real world. In fact, I just got back from exploring the urban jungle off Lake Michigan (aka Chicago). I didn't just see the magnificent Chicago skyline from some pic or even a 3-D tour online. Instead, head up, back arched, I stared at the city's modern marvels looming above me in the flesh... and my own aspirations swelled, rising to meet these giants that live among the clouds.

Gaia Online Hosts World's Largest Virtual Water Fight

Millions of Gaians Participate in Gaia's First Summer Festival With Water Fights, Pool Parties and the First Gaia Online Trilogy Film

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Gaia Online, the fastest growing online hangout for teens, today announced its first annual virtual Summer Festival. More than two million teens and their custom avatars will have the chance to participate in the world's largest virtual water balloon fight in addition to shooting squirt guns at each other, swimming in a new community pool, relaxing in the hot tub, and witnessing the first ever Gaia Online animated short film. Before school starts, this is a chance for teens to truly savor the last moments of summer in true Gaia fashion.

Gaia Online's hosting of the largest virtual water fight allows users to receive free water balloons through out the site simply by inviting their friends to join, participating in various games, and hanging out in the towns. Over 350,000 users have already been granted virtual water balloons in pre-festival activities. Gaians are actually able to take their water balloons, enter towns, and throw them at other users. In addition to this, they are able to engage in an intense and exciting water war between four of the cities in Gaia. First, users have the ability to decide which city they would like to ally with, and then receive points on behalf of their city by throwing water balloons at alternate enemy city members. Gaians who choose to participate in these exclusive events are constantly accumulating points towards receiving a special limited edition item that will only be released during this year's Summer Festival.

"We are so excited to launch the first Gaia Summer Festival as it gives our users a truly unique way to interact and enjoy the latest features that they had a huge part in implementing. We will be continuing to add virtual events like this in the future due to the overwhelming positive response from new and old members alike," Gaia CEO Craig Sherman said.

After taking part in the world's largest online water fight, users can visit Gaia's towns, where they can jump right into a swimming pool or stay warm in a hot tub. New Summer Festival emotes and toys range from traditional water guns and water balloons to the ability to pee in the pool and place candy bars in the pool as well. These options are available to Gaians in an effort to further enhance their interaction with other users.

Another Summer Festival addition to Gaia Online is the release of the first film in the Gaia Online Trilogy. Over the years, Gaia has introduced a number of fun and entertaining characters who have been shown and portrayed through a series of Gaia comics. This first film is viewable solely by Summer Festival participants and will continue to follow the lives of Gaia's characters with action scenes and moments never previously seen.

About Gaia Online

Founded in 2003, Gaia Online is the fastest-growing hangout on the web. Millions of teens come to Gaia every month to make friends, play games, watch movies in Gaia's virtual theaters, and participate in the world's most active online community. Gaia provides a fun, social environment that inspires individuality and creativity. With everything from art contests to discussion forums on poetry, politics, celebrities and more, to fully customizable profiles, digital characters and cars, Gaia is a place where teens can create their own space and express their individual style.

Kudos for Katrina Volunteers

Positive stories on television are still the exception to the rule, but I do think the focus on "good news" is expanding. Here's an example of the latest "good news" outlet:

Non-profit Launches TV Series to Tell Volunteer Stories of Post-Katrina Recovery

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On August 29, 2007, TravelTelevision.org, a Montgomery County, Maryland-based non-profit corporation commemorates the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with the launch of a television series and a website, ProjectKatrinaVolunteers.net. The television series, airing on the Dish Network and public access channels around the country will share stories of volunteers who have devoted so much time and strength to rebuilding the disaster region. The website provides a unique forum in which volunteers can share their stories and encourage others to spend time rebuilding the Gulf Coast region through discussions, videos and photographs, and blogs written by volunteers.

After the sirens were quiet, and the insurance adjusters and news crews left the area, the devastation remained throughout New Orleans and vicinity. Many people across the United States asked themselves what they could do to help, and the answer came in the way of a decision to volunteer their vacation time and provide hands-on help wherever and however they were needed. This patchwork quilt of individuals and organizations has no central location or vehicle for debriefing, planning, and sharing their stories. Despite the lack of one centralized organization, groups, such as Habitat for Humanity, Common Ground, and KaBoom, have successfully drawn 600,000 volunteers to the Gulf Coast in the last two years. However, volunteer efforts are diminishing, but the need has not; volunteers will be needed to help rebuild for at least another decade. The goal of TravelTelevision.org's website and television series is to use the stories of those who have volunteered to encourage others to plan their vacations accordingly.

"We thought that there would be a need to discuss the experiences volunteers had in the Gulf Coast," explained project director Steve Friedman, "but we did not expect the range of emotion and passion that volunteers brought back from their trips." Sensing their wish to describe their experiences and call upon their fellow citizens to volunteer similarly, the website and television program were designed to meet the needs and objectives of the former and continuing volunteers, who have ranged from private citizens, faith and school groups, international tourists, and corporate officers. "The loudest message we've heard from the returning volunteers is that there is room for everyone, and everyone is welcome."

Online Videos by Veoh.com

So We're Draining Lakes Now...

Great Lakes Losing 2.5 Billion Gallons Per Day Due to Manmade Drain Hole Near Detroit

New Research Finds St. Clair River Draining Water from Lakes Huron, Michigan at Triple Rate Originally Thought

PARIS, ONTARIO, Canada, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two years after specialists first linked declining water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron to U.S. and Canadian navigation dredging, riverbed mining and shoreline alteration projects near Port Huron and Sarnia, research released Tuesday finds that the river "drain hole" is sucking away triple the amount of water previously estimated--causing widespread ecological harm throughout the middle Great Lakes.

The updated findings released by the Georgian Bay Association (GBA) show that the drain hole in the St. Clair River is causing the Michigan-Huron system to hemorrhage 2.5 billion gallons of water a day--more than triple the 845 million gallons documented two years ago by a consulting firm studying the impact of the U.S. Army Corps's dredging in the river.

Those billions of gallons of lake water lost down the drain each day--more water than what's used by all Chicagoland households in a day--translate to rapidly declining water levels, which negatively affect water quality, boating, fishing, and commercial shipping.

"This new report reveals that the problem is far more serious than first thought and underscores the need to fix the problem immediately," said Mary Muter, local Georgian Baykeeper for the national Waterkeeper Alliance and Chair of GBA's Environment Committee. "The longer we wait for mitigation measures to be put in place, the worse it will get. It's time to stand up for the millions of boaters, shippers, anglers, property owners, and beach-goers who rely on these lakes and stop the water loss now. We can't afford to wait."

"The historic changes and dredging of the St. Clair River over the years has resulted in changes to the riverbed that has increased the amount of water going down the river, carrying more and more water out of Michigan and Huron, through the lower Lakes, and out to the ocean. This water is irreplaceable," explains Roger Gauthier, Lead Hydrologist for the Great Lakes Commission. "It has reached a point where the damage is profound. It is now threatening the hydrological integrity of the entire upper Lakes."

Since 1970, the drainage hole, which continues to grow larger, has resulted in an overall water level decline of nearly two feet, or 60 centimeters, in Lakes Michigan and Huron and Georgian Bay. If put together in one place, that two foot loss would be the size of a block of water one mile high and four miles long by four miles wide.

"We're seeing drastic sustained decline in the Michigan-Huron system at the same time that Lake Erie is rising," said Bill Bialkowski, the Engineer who conducted the new GBA research. "This is indicative of water loss independent of naturally occurring fluctuations or those due to global warming. Research is showing us that this is a persistent, unprecedented water loss."

These alarming findings come as the International Joint Commission (IJC) prepares to begin its Upper Great Lakes Study, which will examine the St. Clair drain hole and other possible causes to the water level crisis. The study has met with some criticism and controversy among advocates, as it is being led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environment Canada, which are failing to acknowledge the danger of the situation.

IJC studies of this nature often take more than six years, which advocates and scientists insist is too long to wait. According to engineers, Lakes Huron and Michigan will lose another 12 centimeters, or about four inches, if the water loss is allowed to continue for more than five years.

"Water level deficits over the past two seasons have had major negative effects in the shipping industry," said William Hryb, general manager, Lakehead Shipping Company Limited. "Additional trips by vessels because of lighter payloads lead to higher production costs. This is an enormous economic burden few ship owners and operators can afford."

The new GBA research uses water level data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab that extends through February 2007--data that was not available when the original Baird Report was released. According to the original 2005 Baird Report, the rapid water loss is due to a number of factors, with bottom erosion of the St. Clair River being the major factor. Much of this erosion is a consequence of navigation dredging conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that took place in the river during the 1960s. The Corps designed structures to remediate anticipated adverse impacts of this dredging at that time, but the project was never completed.

Environmental warning signs including dried up wetlands, less fish spawning, and unusually shallow waterways have begun to surface in Lakes Huron and Michigan as well, leading many to fear for the overall health of the region. There are several factors that have converged to cause low water levels in the Middle Great Lakes, but the erosion in the St. Clair River stands out among these problems as a man-made issue that can be corrected fairly easily and within a relatively short timetable.

"Great Lakes water is far too precious to squander away through an increasing hole in the channel," said Joel Brammeier, associate director of the Alliance for the Great Lakes. "With lake levels nearing record lows, all hands on deck should be focused on plugging a gap we've known about for years."