Orwell's Diaries

George Orwell's diaries are being published as a blog seventy years after he wrote them. Megan and I started reading them today. I hope to make it a part of our morning routine. Orwell is one of the great political philosophers of the past century and his diaries will certainly be better than the drivel of an average blog like mine.

Has A Surfer/Snowboarder Who Lives In A Van Rewritten Physics? Maybe.

I would love to be educated enough to have an opinion on wether this guy is right.

New Coffee Beverage Treat

1 cup strong coffee
2 table spoons Nutella^TM
1 ripe banana

Blend thoroughly. Pour into pint glass. Enjoy!

My First Obama Event

I have just set up my first event for Sen Obama's Campaign. If you are going to be in Memphis this Sunday join us at Glenview Park and register some voters.

Memphis For Obama 08

I went to a meeting of Memphis For Obama 08 tonight where we planned our continuing voter registration efforts. It was good to actually do something which might effect the outcome of the race instead of arguing pointlessly on the intertubes.

Green Update

I managed to make it the 15 days between paydays on a single tank of gas. I have simply been thinking about that WWII poster that asked if this trip is necessary. A little planning can help to eliminate trips. Planing so that you go to the grocery on the way home from Mom's and save a trip is no great burden.

I have also managed to continue to use the fan instead of AC. So far this summer we have had days that top out around 90°F and lows around 70°F. I am surprised at how comfortable this house is when it is that hot outside. It helps that the house was built in 1929 and has plaster walls which form a thermal mass. It gets cool enough at night that I need a blanket and the walls hold that cool in the day time. The house is also shaded by an old oak in the front yard. I am hoping it will still be tolerable in high summer but am not optimistic. It hits 100°F regularly here from late July to late September.

If you are reading this and have posted a blog about what you are doing to save energy let me know so I can link to you.

My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro is one of my favorite children's movies. My daughter and I watched it many times when she was younger. It is the story of two sisters whose mother is in the hospital and the way they and their father deal with the illness. It tells children that things are seldom as bad as you imagine and parents that you should level with the kids because they are not comforted by a lack of knowledge. Besides the Cat Bus is super cool.

Unnatural Causes

I just spent the afternoon over at Mom's. My sister brought over the DVD Unnatural Causes. It was an excellent documentary about how economic inequality is killing us. We are at a crossroads and we can chose to go one of two ways. We can become a more equitable society like the other industrialized nations or we can become a third world country. Which way will we go?

Joe's Liquor's Sputnik

This sign for Joe's Liquor illustrates part of what I like about living in Midtown. About ten years ago, after this sign had not worked for decades, the new owner of Joe's decided that he wanted to fix the Sputnik which was a Midtown landmark. He could not afford to do so. He talked to people about his wish and several local bands offered to do benefits for him to raise the funds. When it was repaired one of the bands played in the parking lot across the street and Joe's had a party for the official relighting of the Sputnik. About this same time several business out in the suburbs were putting up artificially distressed signs to try to give themselves authenticity. They take new things and try to make them look old. Midtowners take an old thing and make it new again. Then we throw a party to celebrate in the street!

Klinke Brothers

These are photos of the old Klinke Brothers dairy and creamery on Belvue Blvd here in Memphis. This rundown abandoned building with its distinctive milk bottle shaped tank on the roof is a historical landmark for my family. It's the place where Dad lied about his age to get his first job after fleeing the farm and heading for the big city in the mid 1940's. Update: Mom tells me that this is not the dairy that Dad Had a job at. He worked at the Sealtest Dairy which is no longer standing.

Even in decay this is a beautiful building. It is an example of the factories built all over this nation when companies cared about their image and built attractive places of business instead of the ugly boxes of tin that liter the landscape today.

Zero Carbon Transportation

Under the tracks and through the hood to Nanny's house we went for Sunday dinner. Bikes are real transportation.

Zero Carbon Lawn Care

Here are the tools I use to care for my lawn. They are safe, silent, burn no fuel, and are joy to use. Since they work on damp grass just as well as dry, in high summer I do my work before the heat then sit in the shade and watch others sweat.

Zack

A more recent picture.

Obamania

Phyllis at the voter registration table we manned at the ParMasters open house.

The Fight Against Global Warming

This is the first in a series of posts on fighting climate change. The picture is of an antique window fan I bought at a carport sale for $20.00. It keeps my house comfortable on all but the hottest of days at a large savings over AC.

Zack

Zack

I intended to start a new series of posts this evening. They were to involve pictures. I ended up spending the whole evening getting that to work so I will work on the planned posts this weekend.