Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Plastiki gets under way, great news for about cancer, suicide victim’s tormentors charged

Hi again from the ramparts of the Bastion on the Puget Sound. Well, if you’re in the mood these days to follow a grand adventure which has nothing to do with the Pope or politics, I invite you to join us in following the voyage of the Plastiki, a seagoing catamaran whose hulls are made from 12,500 one use-plastic water bottles.

She and her predominantly English crew got underway last week from San Francisco, bound for the Sydney Australia, via the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This is an area twice the size of Texas and about five times as large as the United Kingdom, where nothing thrives nearly so well as the human garbage the ocean currents bring here. The mission of the Plastiki then, is twofold.

The first is to bring attention to what “the American Dream” and other material/pollution-heavy lifestyles are doing to the planet. The second is to suggest one recycling alternative to discarding plastic bottles. Yep, building boats like this one.

And make no mistake. The Plastiki is not some tree-hugging, do-it-yourself-at-home, fall-apart-when it’s-over vessel. It was designed by some of the best marine engineers a lot of money can buy and it is equipped with the latest in navigation, communications and other cyber technology.

Like, Sir Richard Branson, another English billionaire with a dream and the money to back it, David de Rothschild, banking heir and environmentalist, is using some of his wealth for a good cause. No, he’s not taking us into outer space but instead, trying to make sure our species does not turn 70 percent of the earth’s surface into a refuse repository.

For more on this one and to follow the voyage of the Plastiki:

Other Total Fascinating Links To This One Include:
National Geographic
National Geographic Adventure blog
Great Pacific Garbage Dump

This next one has to come as good news to millions of women and the men who care about them. According to Associated Press medical writer Maria Cheng, in a story datelined Barcelona, Spain:

“Up to a third of breast cancer cases in Western countries could be avoided if women ate less and exercised more, researchers at a conference said Thursday, renewing a sensitive debate about how lifestyle factors affect the disease.” Yep, for more on this one

We applaud the State of Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office for bringing charges against nine high school students in Northampton whose online and offline tormenting authorities contend led to the suicide of 15-year-old freshman Phoebe Prince, whose family had recently immigrated to America from Ireland.

This should never have been allowed to happen and that apparently it went on with the full knowledge of South Hadley High School officials and the student body, and despite the beseeching of Phoebe’s parents to do something about it, strongly suggests than an entire community may well share the guilt for this child’s death. For more on what you can do to prevent stalking or end it.

Our heart goes out, as well, to a very soggy American East Coast and to Rhode Island in particular. There’s a lot of speculation going on about what’s causing it but if history is any indication, in the end, the Republicans will blame it on the Democrats; the Democrats will blame it on God; and God will start looking around for another human dumb enough and patient enough to build a boat big enough to put a bunch of mated animals in again. Keep your eyes open folks. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.

CROSSING OVER

Stand and Deliver” educator Jaime Escalante died Tuesday at his son’s home in Roseville, California of cancer. A passionate, determined and charismatic individual, Escalante was an early believer in the real meaning of “no child left behind.” He walked his talk in East LA and if America ever really wants to end a war quick, all it needs to do is parachute a couple battalions of inner city kids into the conflict. Jaime proved these kids could also learn calculus which he taught with flair, creativity and an uncompromising demand for what he himself gave. Jamie didn’t do anything half way and he didn’t settle for anything less than the best from his student and those he considered his professional peers. Jamie was 79. For more on this remarkable human being

We bid a sad farewell to American television and film actor Robert Culp. Perhaps best remembered for his role along side Bill Cosby in the espionage series I Spy, he was a well-established actor in westerns and later broke into the big screen in such memorable roles as John F. Kennedy’s best friend in PT 109John F. Kennedy’s best friend in “PT 109,” Wild Bill Hickock in “The Raiders,” Jane Fonda’s fiancĂ© in “Sunday in New York” and the president of the United States in “The Pelican Brief” (1993).

Mr. Culp, who was born in Oakland, California, died last Wednesday, outside his Los Angeles home, of an apparent heart attack. He was 79. For an outstanding tribute to him,


GOOD NEWS

For anyone is enthusiastic about bicycles and electric bicycles in particular, Sightline Dailies series “The Parable of the Electric Bike is a must read. Alan Turning is a whimsical, ingenuous personal experience writer with integrity and one who clearly does his homework. His first installment is entitled “Juice Hawgs.” Yep, check it out here.

I am also pleased to report that the Olympic National Forest tied with my second favorite, the Umpqua National Forest, for second place, right behind Oregon’s Willamette National Forest as the second-best carbon bank of all 120 of America’s national forests. These are the results of a study undertaken by the Wilderness Society, the results of which were released last Thursday, March 25, 2010. To see how the forest in your state placed

Other Links
Olympic National Forest Homepage
Umpqua National Forest Homepage
Willamette National Forest Homepage
Find a Forest By State
Wilderness Society

Even though ecotourism is really catching on, this one is a stretch. But apparently there really are people who will fly thousands of miles to take a look at a systems of sewers, drains, etc. that dramatically reduce water pollution. Portland, Oregon put their sewer system on the map and local business benefit by providing accommodations, meals and other forms of more conventional recreation. Portland’s a city of rivers and boating, water-skiing, even sport fishing and SCUBA diving are back in popularity. Yep, to see how they did it

Portland is doing something else very cool. It’s taking a new look at the concept of urban renewal and starting to turn its poorer neighborhoods into Resource Access Centers which will provide services for the homeless and provide a shelter for 90 men. They are part of the City’s ten-year plan to end homelessness. To see the first one and learn how they’re doing it:

Considering two of my favourite movies are Batteries Not Included and Bicentennial Man, I was delighted to read about this annual contest held at Seattle’s Key Arena in which 64 teams (2,000 kids) of high school robotics students from throughout the United States competed for trophies and other honors. Sponsored by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), the program is devoted to nurturing and encouraging kids with an interest and talent in the subject. We reviewed First’s homepage and also picked up a distinct Boy/Girl Scouts of America flavor to this one. So yep, for more on this one.

SURVIVING HARD TIMES

There are millions of people all over the world who don’t have a lot to spend on food. This is an outstanding article on how to make a little go a long way.

We reported earlier about a new “cult” of people who are taking things they enjoy doing and are good at and making a living. The tenth in this series of eleven is about home schooling. It’s a new and energetic look at alternatives to failing public institutions and out-pricing private ones and it involves using the Internet.

I’m personally behind that one totally. Thanks to the interactive aspects of the Net, if I want to learn French, I don’t need to count on some American who learned it from other Americans who may or may not have ever actually been to either Quebec or Normandy. I can learn Canadian French or French French from the source.

Seems to me that when you think about the resources that are out there, it’s a viable alternative and while it’s not meant to replace public or private education facilities, it could possibly lighten the load on them and make them more accessible to those for whom cyber education does not seem to work.

Also, think about the part time income that could generate from people who are experts at or on something but have never fit the government’s definition of a ‘teacher”. In some ways, it’s also the free university system come to the Net. I, for one, would love to teach a class on investigative reporting. I know ~ and I’m sure you do too ~ people who know things that we all need to know. I’m thinking Northstar Education Cooperative, for some reason. To see where the inspiration for that particular vision came from:

HEALTH NEWS

Despite the fact that we’re not real fond of the carrot and the stick approach to behavior modification, we also realize that there are those who need it right out in front of them and when it comes to a North American epidemic of obesity, one of the things “tucked” into America’s new National Health Program that really works for me is a requirement for any restaurant with an occupancy of over 20 to list the calorie count of each item on their menu.

It’s certainly not the only solution to this problem but from a Hippocratic standpoint, I don’t think it’s going to first do any harm and. Second, I can’t believe it’s also not going to help. There are some pretty artistic ways to present that stuff and I, for one, know some artists and writers who could use the work. Yep, for more on this one

CRITTER STUFF

And finally, this one out of Port Ludlow, a small town about 90 minutes, including ferry ride, northwest of Seattle, out on the very heavily forested Olympic Peninsula and the Puget Sound. It’s a kind of Andy of Mayberry type place where people don’t lock their doors and occasionally, on a warm day, leave their doors open. This is not to suggest that Port Ludlowians are particularly trusting nearly so much as they have a good working relationship with their neighbors.

That’s why it’s not at all hard to believe this story about one of them leaving his door open while he went off to run some errands, and coming back to find a 35 lb. bobcat in his house.

Both the homeowner and the cat were cool. Fish & Wildlife came out, tranquilized the forest neighbor, then released it about six miles away, which is the equivalent of escorting them to the city limits.

If a Port Ludlowian can handle a bobcat like that, it’s not hard for me to understand why they can leave their doors unlocked. And even open on a warm day in March. For more and a video on this one

YOU GUYS THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP.

Okay, even given a rich English guy and a boat made out of plastic water jugs going to Sydney, Australia on an eco mission and also being a Pacific Northwesterner who consumes about two lbs. a week of the fish in question, this one is a stretch. It’s about a Native American tribe in California going to New Zealand to bring the Chinook salmon back.

I’m thinking, “okay, like ‘really outside the box’ this time” but then I’m occasionally reminded that most everything that human beings have “discovered” has been around a lot longer than we have. And we’re not the only species still evolving.

So for a window on another South Sea adventure, with a mission

That’s it for this week. Before you leave, you might want to check out Northstar Recommends. We’ve added (and will continue to do so) cool things we find. And if you’re in a shopping mood, we invite peruse our amazon.com ads and our reader-generated Northstar General Store.

This has sort of become a standard tag-out but if it’s any consolation, I type it each time. Stay the course, gang. We’re getting there and we’re going to make it. And thanks once again for the ear. And stuff.

Rusty


NORTHSTAR RECOMMENDS

RESOURCES

Maker Culture: Taking Things Into Our Own Hands - For 12 weeks in the fall of 2009, 45 online journalism students at Ryerson University and the University of Western Ontario worked together to document the evolving Maker Culture community.

Maker Culture? That's coders, fabricators, foodies, artists, educators, activists, citizen and even scientists grabbing the Do-It-Yourself ethic with both hands and changing our world in the process.

These are people who aren't just making things, they're making a point of sharing what they've learned, what they've made, and why. Often, for free.
Makers are responding directly, locally to globalization, commercialization, copyright and central command and control.

This is the introduction to a fascinating series on how to become more self-reliant, live a lot more economically and enjoy the company of others doing the same. If you’re looking for ideas, inspiration and resources to get through hard times or just to simplify you life, we highly recommend this one.

PC World – This is the best source we’ve found yet for totally free, useful, reliable and secure (no viruses) downloads ranging from games through utilities and with a nice selection of screen savers, etc. What I particularly appreciate about it is how easy the site is to navigate. They also have a daily letter featuring two “daily downloads.”

Free People Search – This is an American online White Pages that I found really simple, quick and user friendly. I looked for myself under the several versions of my name and it found them all. It’s also free and doesn’t involve anything to download.

Know Thy Elected Officials - Just type in your zip code and this site will supply you with the names and contact information for your legislators from the state level up. This is a two click site with a host of other relevant features.

Stalking Resource Center division of the National Center for Victims of Crime – Internet harassment, stalking and abuse in general is now against the law. If you’re being victimized or if you know of someone who is, this is an excellent resource.

FUN STUFF


If you share my passion for American History, you’re going to love AmericanWest.com This is historical society stuff that is also extremely interesting to read. So yep, just in case you didn’t get it the first time, check it out here.

Images of Houston at night are available at the Earth Observatory, along with an incredible array of other outer space images. This is one of NASA’s more engaging websites and it’s here, as well, that you can subscribe to their online newsletter. Whether you’re an aerospace/astronomy buff or simply enjoy stargazing, this is an excellent site.

Ever been told you look like someone famous? Ever not been told that but would like to have been? Find a photo of yourself, go to this site, MyHeritage.com, upload it and get a gallery of celebrities you resemble, to one degree or another. Yep, it’s a total waste of time and an unabashed indulgence of ego. Probably two reasons why I totally loved it, even though a couple of my own pix didn’t turn up any results. It’s fun to play with so enjoy.

If you’re into a real interesting and visual escape, we certainly recommend The Art In LA website. It’s a virtual art gallery created by a real gentle, occasionally obnoxious but totally good-hearted soul with standards as fine as those of any engineer I’ve ever met. It’s also a good place for healthy meditation. If you’re lucky, you might just run into the artist herself. Her name is Colleen and she’s a trip, trust me. Yep, she was born under the fourth flag on our masthead.

HEALTH

Ten foods that really do help prevent cancer.

Grub you libido will love.

If you’d like to know whether your eating habits are either adding years to your life or taking them off, take this RealAge quiz. It will not only score your real age against your health age but give you a program for improvement. I’ve been working this one for about a month now and yep, I feel a lot better.

Ever get so stressed you feel like you’re really jammed up against it? Take a deep breath and check out you’re surroundings is the advice of Dr. Roberta Lee in her book The Superstress Solution. We have and what I’ve generally found is that the outside reflects the inside. If I’m real busy, jackets get tossed over chairs, used coffee cups appear magically on window ledges and desk top clutter takes on a total biosphere all its own. Perhaps not surprising, dealing with the outside can really help you relax. And although we don’t recommend you try this at home, if you wait long enough, it can be also be real good exercise. This is a mental health must so check it out here. We’re reading Dr. Lee’s book now and we bought it here.


Want to know how to live to be 100? Try this one.

Take this test to see how your memory compares with the average.

Click here for fun games to improve your memory.

There’s a new book out now which could make a dramatic difference in the way toward the way women experience the passing of years. Despite major industries involved ~ cosmetic, fitness, elective surgery, to name three ~ the idea that women become less attractive as they grow older has also very likely contributed to more anxiety, high blood pressure, depression, etc. than any other single factor in a woman’s life except cancer and childbearing.

We also suspect that it has probably cost men just as much, if not more, than it has cost women, even in a nation historically known for its tolerance of a double standard. The book is entitled Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change. Read about it here and if you decide you’d like to purchase it online, you can buy it here. I especially recommend this to men. It’s time our gender took more responsibility for this.

FOR YOUR SHOPPING CONVENIENCE











































And for a truly unique shopping experience, drop by and browse THE NORTHSTAR GENERAL STORE.


MEDIA

Press Releases, Product Reviews, Promotional Copy, Digital Photography, Online Research and Investigation, Ghost Writing, Special Projects. Seattle-based and wired into the International Community. For more information, email to minstrel312@aol.com or go here -> Rusty Miller, Freelance Photojournalist.

MEDIA

Overview


For those interested in what’s going on in the world of magazines and newspapers in general, we highly recommend Woodenhorsepub.com. They publish a weekly online newsletter for media professionals and for readers simply interested in the future of the publications they enjoy and an advance on new ones they might. Their website is located here.

GOOD “READS”

Books


If you’d like to read something which combines the best elements of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and a neo-eco Mickey Spillane detective thriller, you’ll love this one.

“In the brave new world of the Internet, FedEx and an international taste for the exotic, wildlife poachers steal everything from elk horns to geoducks, the world's largest clam. In the waters of Puget Sound in Washington state, state wildlife agents stalk these thieves on land and at sea. In "Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature's Bounty," Seattle Times environmental reporter Craig Welch joins these detectives on the trail of one of the region's most notorious geoduck thieves.”

Welch, a Seattle Times environmental reporter is a compelling writer and this excerpt from the book would be worth the experience even if we were not also fascinated by the subject. If, after reading this extract, you’d like to buy the book, you’ll find it for sale here.

News

BBC – Best source of international news.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (multi-media), the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun -- outstanding sources for Canadian national, provincial, and world news.

KING 5 News – Best source of video news of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound.

New York Times – Best source of American news.

Reuters – Best source of an international perspective on American headlines.

Seattle Times – Best source for news of the city and the Puget Sound. Its reportage is unbiased but their columns and other opinion pieces do reflect the predominant values of the Pacific Northwest.

Sightline Daily (formerly Tidepool) – Best source of Pacific Northwest regional news. Delivered daily by email, it covers Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They also put out an excellent weekly environmental edition.

Entertainment


BBC Knowledge Magazine – designed to give the American magazine National Geographic the proverbial run for its money,

TomatoMan Times -- For those who love good writing, there are fewer finer contemporary craftsmen out there now than professionally known as Tomatoman Mike. He’s as Northern Californian as John Steinbeck is, albeit with a dash of Sam Clemmons, Bret Harte and Robert W. Service in him. He’s a romp to read, trust me.

U Got Style is a monthly ezine dedicated to independent films. Fully illustrated, it features hard news, interviews, reviews and a wide variety of other information. It’s also fun to read.

Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean – Live from the smallest record store in North America. Canadian humor, entertainment and commentary at its maple leaf best. Popular on National Public Radio in the States.

See you next week, eh?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Pope apologizes for sex abuse, America now has national health care, and a lady sea lion is rescued


Hi again from the ramparts of the Bastion on the Puget Sound. In the wake of the child sex abuse scandals rocking the Catholic Church, we appreciate that the Pope is apologizing and that the Vatican is investigating.

That this public expression of regret is apparently falling on deaf ears in Ireland does not surprise us either. The shamrocks know their Bible and that according to the Gospel of Mark (10:13-16), Jesus has a special place in His heart for kids. This abuse of children has been going on for centuries in every nation in which there are Catholic clerics and very little has been done about it.

I wonder what the Carpenter of Nazareth must be thinking as He watches the papal hierarchy in action now. I’ve got a feeling He’s angrier than I am and I’m not exactly out there shooting hoops over this.

With all due respect to the Vatican, et al, this is not a religious issue to me nor does it even begin to impugn the integrity of the Catholic Church. This is about the abuse of kids, women and men.

We also feel that these new commercials touting the viability of the Catholic Church are an example of the worst blend of bad taste and lousy timing we have seen in some while. We’d strongly suggest that before it’s put back out there on the shelf for sale again, it at least be rendered safe for children.

We also welcome America into the fold, as it were, as the last of the industrialized nations in the world to bring universal health care to its citizens. A standing ovation goes out to the American Congress, under the leadership of President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-California) for leading the charge. To see how this landmark legislation affects you (or would if you were an American), please go here. And for a comparison of national healthcare in other countries, check this out.

Take A Stand For Civility

Dear Rusty:

You may have heard by now that over the weekend some opponents of health care reform used shocking racist and personal epithets against members of Congress who disagreed with their position and supported the bill.

Last Saturday, while Representatives filed through a House office building on their way to watch President Obama deliver a health care speech, some extremist protesters turned vicious. Civil rights legend and Georgia Congressman John Lewis was repeatedly called "ni**er" by the crowd, while fellow Congressional Black Caucus member Emanuel Cleaver was spat on. Longtime NAACP champion and openly gay Representative Barney Frank was called a "fa**ot." This is not only outrageous behavior -- it is un-American.

Stand with Representatives Cleaver, Lewis and Frank. Sign our Petition today and let it be known these outrageous personal attacks have no place in our nation's political discourse. Saturday's incident is just the latest evidence that a lack of civility is undermining our democratic process. Last August protesters painted a swastika on the district office of Georgia Representative David Scott. Later that fall Congressman Joe Wilson shouted, "You lie," as President Obama delivered a speech before the joint Houses of Congress. These sorts of outbursts serve only to bully our elected officials and undermine our democracy.

Like many of the hot-button political issues of our day, health care reform has inspired passion in supporters and opponents alike. Indeed, it is this passion that kept us determined to keep fighting for reform, even on the days when it looked like we might not win. While the NAACP respects the passions that inspire political movements of all kinds, we know that when civility breaks down, communities of color are often the first to be hurt.

Please, join me in signing the civility petition today. Stand alongside Representatives Cleaver, Lewis and Frank, and take a stand for civility in our political discourse.
Sincerely,

Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

We bid a fond farewell this week to another of our favourite actors, America’s cultural reincarnation of frontiersmen Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, Fess Parker. The latter television series has been in reruns on RTV here in Seattle and what struck me about it, in addition to outstanding casting and other production values, was its portrayal of Native Americans and their relationship with white settlers with historical accuracy. Mr. Parker, despite his nearly 6’6”/1.98m stature, was not the dashing hero type, but played true to his own nature. He was a man of reason, compassion, gentility and conviction. He died last Thursday, on the birthday of his wife of 50 years, in their home in Santa Ynez, California. The Texas born Parker was 85. For an outstanding obituary, please go here. To learn more about a modest but true American hero, check this out. And for more about some of America’s other historical figures, yep, go here.

Under the “Good Because It’s Finally Out in the Open” category, people who abuse animals are also likely to do the same to human beings so, according to New York Times reporter Ian Urbina:

“Responding to growing evidence that people who abuse animals often go on to attack humans, states are increasing the penalties for animal cruelty and developing better methods for tracking convicted offenders.”

To learn more about this and what you personally can do to contribute to the protection of puppies, kittens, kids and other living creatures, please go here. And if you witness a case of animal cruelty, please do not stand by and just watch. At least call 911. This literally is a case of the life you save (up the road) might be your own.

MORE GOOD NEWS

This necessarily belongs in the “only in the Pacific Northwest” category and it runs contrary to the subtle campaign the Northstar Journal has been conducting to dry out Seattle’s reputation. So when a high school principal in Bellingham, the last big town before the Canadian border, says he’s going to cancel school if it doesn’t rain, I’m going like, “Cute. But this is NOT good press. Yep, check in out here.

Well, sometimes when I hang around the right people long enough, I actually learn something. Like what the number one source of greenhouse emissions on the planet is. It’s not a factory nor an 18-wheeler nor that wheezy VW bus with a head gasket about ready to blow. It’s cows. And I feel dumb because I was partly raised on a ranch and I’ve worked on one. But I’ve also marched in parades behind horses and I’ve got a headline for everyone who romanticizes about these particular noble beasts. They are NOT perfume factories. Neither are cows. However, I digress. From the same reader who tipped me off to this bio-environmental factoid also told me the nation’s largest dairy, located 160 miles east of Portland, Oregon is using cow ‘poop’ (this is a G-rated ezine, folks) to fuel a biodigester which converts manure and other organic waste into methane gas which can be used to power farm equipment and nearby homes. Yep, check it out here.

SURVIVING HARD TIMES

Being over 40 and looking for work has, in ironically more prosperous times, been a daunting prospect at best.
Now, however, when employers are looking for the proverbial “more bang for the buck,” this is a perfect opportunity to present both experience and the energy and joy of life which characterize so many health and fitness conscious Baby and Post – Baby Boomers. If you’re not healthy and fit, this might also provide you with the means to become so. To learn more about this idea and how it works, please go here.

Sometimes, surviving hard times is also coming to a more realistic attitude about a major stressor and there’s a new book out now which could make a dramatic difference in the way toward the way women experience the passing of years
. Despite major industries involved ~ cosmetic, fitness, elective surgery, to name three ~ the idea that women become less attractive as they grow older has also very likely contributed to more anxiety, high blood pressure, depression, etc. than any other single factor in a woman’s life except cancer and childbearing.

We also suspect that it has probably cost men just as much, if not more, than it has cost women, even in a nation historically known for its tolerance of a double standard. The book is entitled Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change. Read about it here and if you decide you’d like to purchase it online, you can buy it here. I especially recommend this to men. It’s time our gender took more responsibility for this.

We reported earlier about a new “cult” of people who are taking things they enjoy doing and are good at and making a living. The ninth in this series of 14 is as delightfully weird as its title is a quadruple entendre. This also falls under the heading of “ONLY in Toronto” and encourages us to go ahead and play with our food.

Okay, even for us, this is a stretch and maybe quoting the first several paragraphs isn’t going to help the cause either. But this is just too good not to share.

“It's an unusual Friday night at Grinder, a small coffee shop in Toronto. There's an alien in someone's cup, hearts in another and someone else sees their face in their mug.

"The cause of this madness is an event we created called "MEDIUM: Coffee -- Live Latte Art for Non-Latte Artists." We wanted to see what ordinary artists would do if we let them play with their food. "It was different," says Abra Dolman, a participating artist. "I can't say I've ever used coffee, espresso, or milk as a medium before."

"The winner in the final round, Stefan Berg, used syrup to draw a portrait of one of the judges, glasses and all. However, the newly-indoctrinated coffee artists aren't the only ones using food in unique ways. Whether for consumption, beauty, art, or hacking purposes, Maker Culture is meeting food everywhere.”

Yep, for the rest of it, go here

HEALTH NEWS

Physically fit people enjoy a better sex life than couch potatoes and stay erotically active for much longer according to a study by the University of Chicago published in the British Medical Journal. To read the story, please go here. And for the actual BMJ article itself, here’s that link. If you’re motivated to exercise more, check this one out and finally, grub your libido will totally love.

Ever get so stressed you feel like you’re really jammed up against it? Take a deep breath and check out you’re surroundings is the advice of Dr. Roberta Lee in her book The Superstress Solution. We have and what I’ve generally found is that the outside reflects the inside. If I’m real busy, jackets get tossed over chairs, used coffee cups appear magically on window ledges and desk top clutter takes on a total biosphere all its own. Perhaps not surprising, dealing with the outside can really help you relax. And although we don’t recommend you try this at home, if you wait long enough, it can be also be real good exercise. This is a mental health must so check it out here. We’re reading Dr. Lee’s book now and we bought it here.

SEATTLE FACTS & FIGURES

Seattle Rainfall in Comparison To Other US Cities
Annual Precipitation
City/State Precipitation (In Inches)
Atlanta, GA 48.6
Vancouver, B.C. 46.0
Houston, TX 44.8
New York, NY 44.1
Boston, MA 43.8
Washington D.C. 39.0
SEATTLE, WA 38.6
Chicago, IL 33.3
Los Angeles, CA 12.1
For more information about Seattle, click here.
For live cameras on Seattle, the Puget Sound and Washington State, click here.

CRITTER STUFF

An adolescent female sea lion had fish netting wrapped around her head and was pretty close to starving when she was spotted in the Sea Lion Caves by the employees of this Oregon coast tourist attraction.
This unfortunate creature was part of the big herds of them that migrate back and forth between the Caves and San Francisco. For a slide show and more on her rescue, go here. To learn more about Sea Lion Caves and view a live camera of its sea lion population, check this out.

If you’d like to read something which combines the best elements of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and a neo-eco Mickey Spillane detective thriller, you’ll love this one.

“In the brave new world of the Internet, FedEx and an international taste for the exotic, wildlife poachers steal everything from elk horns to geoducks, the world's largest clam. In the waters of Puget Sound in Washington state, state wildlife agents stalk these thieves on land and at sea. In "Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature's Bounty," Seattle Times environmental reporter Craig Welch joins these detectives on the trail of one of the region's most notorious geoduck thieves.”

Welch, a Seattle Times environmental reporter is a compelling writer and this excerpt from the book would be worth the experience even if we were not also fascinated by the subject. If, after reading this extract, you’d like to buy the book, you’ll find it for sale here.

This skunk rescue was one I really enjoyed long distance, vis a vis reading and watching a clip about. And I have absolutely nothing against skunks. If disgruntled elephants, braying jackasses, locusts and malarial mosquitoes have their place in God’s Kingdom, these striped woods kitties do too. Even ones stupid enough to get their head stuck in a peanut butter jar and then try to cross a road. With all due respect to Pepe Le Pew, this one was dumb, even for a skunk. So, take this surgical mask we’re handing out with this one and go here for pix and more details.

YOU GUYS THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP.

Know anybody interested in buying a town? I know where one can be had on the cheap, the real cheap. At around half a mill, it might be a little too expensive for one person but if a group went in on it, it might just be do-able. And it’s totally legit. It’s got its own post office and the best/weirdest part is that you can bid for it on ebay. To skeptic and believer alike then, check it out here.

That’s it for this week. Before you leave, you might want to check out Northstar Recommends. We’ve added (and will continue to do so) cool things we find. And if you’re in a shopping mood, we invite peruse our amazon.com ads and our reader-generated Northstar General Store.

This has sort of become a standard tag-out but if it’s any consolation, I type it each time. Stay the course, gang. We’re getting there and we’re going to make it. And thanks once again for the ear. And stuff.

Rusty

NORTHSTAR RECOMMENDS
RESOURCES

Maker Culture: Taking Things Into Our Own Hands - For 12 weeks in the fall of 2009, 45 online journalism students at Ryerson University and the University of Western Ontario worked together to document the evolving Maker Culture community.

Maker Culture? That's coders, fabricators, foodies, artists, educators, activists, citizen and even scientists grabbing the Do-It-Yourself ethic with both hands and changing our world in the process.

These are people who aren't just making things, they're making a point of sharing what they've learned, what they've made, and why. Often, for free.
Makers are responding directly, locally to globalization, commercialization, copyright and central command and control.

This is the introduction to a fascinating series on how to become more self-reliant, live a lot more economically and enjoy the company of others doing the same. If you’re looking for ideas, inspiration and resources to get through hard times or just to simplfy you life, we highly recommend this one.

PC World – This is the best source we’ve found yet for totally free, useful, reliable and secure (no viruses) downloads ranging from games through utilities and with a nice selection of screen savers, etc. What I particularly appreciate about it is how easy the site is to navigate. They also have a daily letter featuring two “daily downloads.”

Free People Search – This is an American online White Pages that I found really simple, quick and user friendly. I looked for myself under the several versions of my name and it found them all. It’s also free and doesn’t involve anything to download.

Know Thy Elected Officials - Just type in your zip code and this site will supply you with the names and contact information for your legislators from the state level up. This is a two click site with a host of other relevant features.

Stalking Resource Center division of the National Center for Victims of Crime – Internet harassment, stalking and abuse in general is now against the law. If you’re being victimized or if you know of someone who is, this is an excellent resource.

FUN STUFF

If you share my passion for American History, you’re going to love AmericanWest.com This is historical society stuff that is also extremely interesting to read. So yep, just in case you didn’t get it the first time, check it out here.

Images of Houston at night are among the fascinating images available
at the Earth Observatory, along with an incredible array of other outer space images. This is one of NASA’s more engaging websites and it’s here, as well, that you can subscribe to their online newsletter. Whether you’re an aerospace/astronomy buff or simply enjoy stargazing, this is an excellent site.
Ever been told you look like someone famous? Ever not been told that but would like to have been? Find a photo of yourself, go to this site, MyHeritage.com, upload it and get a gallery of celebrities you resemble, to one degree or another. Yep, it’s a total waste of time and an unabashed indulgence of ego. Probably two reasons why I totally loved it, even though a couple of my own pix didn’t turn up any results. It’s fun to play with so enjoy.

If you’re into a real interesting and visual escape, we certainly recommend The Art In LA website. It’s a virtual art gallery created by a real gentle, occasionally obnoxious but totally good-hearted soul with standards as fine as those of any engineer I’ve ever met. It’s also a good place for healthy meditation. If you’re lucky, you might just run into the artist herself. Her name is Colleen and she’s a trip, trust me. Yep, she was born under the fourth flag on our masthead.

HEALTH

Ten foods that really do help prevent cancer.

Grub you libido will love.

If you’d like to know whether your eating habits are either adding years to your life or taking them off
, take this RealAge quiz. It will not only score your real age against your health age but give you a program for improvement. I’ve been working this one for about a month now and yep, I feel a lot better.

Want to know how to live to be 100? Try this one.

Take this test to see how your memory compares with the average.

Click here for fun games to improve your memory.

FOR YOUR SHOPPING CONVENIENCE












































And for a truly unique shopping experience, drop by and browse THE NORTHSTAR GENERAL STORE.

Press Releases, Product Reviews, Promotional Copy, Digital Photography, Online Research and Investigation, Ghost Writing, Special Projects. Seattle-based and wired into the International Community. For more information, email to minstrel312@aol.com or go here -> Rusty Miller, Freelance Photojournalist.

MEDIA

News

BBC Best source of international news.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (multi-media), the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun -- outstanding sources for Canadian national, provincial, and world news.

KING 5 News Best source of video news of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound.

New York Times Best source of American news.

Reuters Best source of an international perspective on American headlines.

Seattle Times Best source for news of the city and the Puget Sound. Its reportage is unbiased but their columns and other opinion pieces do reflect the predominant values of the Pacific Northwest.

Sightline Daily (formerly Tidepool) – Best source of Pacific Northwest regional news. Delivered daily by email, it covers Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They also put out an excellent weekly environmental edition.

Entertainment

BBC Knowledge Magazine designed to give the American magazine National Geographic the proverbial run for its money,

TomatoMan Times -- For those who love good writing, there are fewer finer contemporary craftsmen out there now than professionally known as Tomatoman Mike. He’s as Northern Californian as John Steinbeck is, albeit with a dash of Sam Clemmons, Bret Harte and Robert W. Service in him. He’s a romp to read, trust me.

U Got Style is a monthly ezine dedicated to independent films. Fully illustrated, it features hard news, interviews, reviews and a wide variety of other information. It’s also fun to read.

Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean Live from the smallest record store in North America. Canadian humor, entertainment and commentary at its maple leaf best. Popular on National Public Radio in the States.

See you next week, eh?



Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Humpback whale makes dramatic comeback, and a somber look at St. Patrick’s Day


Hi again from the ramparts of the Bastion on the Puget Sound. We are delighted beyond belief to report that one of the largest and most endangered denizens of the deep is making a remarkable comeback.

Yep, the humpbacked whale is the one we’re talking about here.

I’ll confess to this weird love affair with creatures I never expect to meet mammal to mammal. Nope, I do not want to swim with them. I don’t want to go down in a submarine (I’m a tad claustrophobic and at six three, I have a big wingspan). I don’t want to be ON the ocean when they’re breaching or cruising on the surface and I certainly do not want to cavort with the young of something bigger than most houses I’ve lived in.

On the other hand, to be on a coastal bluff when these beautiful leviathans are on the move, to watch the grace and dignity of these huge submarine mammals as they feed, migrate and interact with one another…and then to realize that these big creatures have never contested our right to share a portion of their home but have only struck back because we left them no other choice…this is a straight line to the purest definition of strength and compassion I’ve found in some while.

It speaks well of us that we’ve stopped slaughtering them. I suspect it speaks far more resonantly that they have forgiven us.

Well, today is St. Patrick’s Day and like millions of people of Irish descent throughout the world, I pause on this day to reflect on the individual for whom this holiday is named.

What impresses me most about St. Patrick is that he was nothing else, if not persistent. He was born in Britain in the Fourth Century, at a time when most of what we now know as the United Kingdom was under Roman rule. He was captured by a marauding seaborne Irish chieftain who was to become King of Ireland, sold into slavery, escaped, returned to England, was captured again and this time made his way to Europe, where he studied Christianity at a monastery in France and then returned to England as a priest.

Despite the harshness of his life in Ireland, he fell in love with that emerald isle and its people, eventually returned there and managed to convince the king of Ireland that Christianity was better than the ‘paganism’ (symbolized by a snake) and managed to convert most of Ireland. (What I found just a little ironic about this, though, is that what he sought to supplant was a Druid culture which had been flourishing for hundreds of years before and was, in its own way, as worldly and as sophisticated as Athens at the time of Roman conquest.) So when St. Patrick is credited with driving the snakes from Ireland, it’s not meant to be taken literally but simply as another way of saying that he brought Christianity to Erin.

In the ensuing centuries, Ireland was invaded by the English, who met with fierce and enduring resistance. It was like the proverbial irresistible force meeting the immovable object and millions of Irish were subjugated, murdered, starved, disenfranchised and either shipped to the vast ends of the mighty British empire as slaves or chose immigration in the hopes of making a better life for themselves and those family and friends they helped pay to join them.

The end result was that today, there is hardly a nation in the world which cannot claim among its citizenry, the sons and daughters of the shamrock. For some rather stark details of what has also been called “the Irish Diaspora,” please go here. For more on the life and times of St. Patrick, who died on March 17 at the age of 76, and on Ireland in general, check this out.

Now, before we tag out here for green beer, et al, I’m well aware that not everyone under these seven flags celebrates this holiday. Two of my colleagues do not. One of them lives in London, the other in Dublin.

To the Northstar Journal, St. Patrick’s Day is not so much a celebration of an exemplary Irishman or Catholic priest as it is an individual who believed he could make a difference to the very people who put him through such incredible hardship. He did that and regardless of what else happened around him then and since, he did NOT do it with a pike or a sword.

In the same way, St. Patrick’s Day is also not a story about the triumph of the Irish over British oppression nearly so much as it is yet another example of how a nation of essentially farmers and fisherfolk who want mostly just to be left alone can eventually triumph over the mightiest empire in the world. Just like the English did when they threw Rome out.

As rich and exciting as that legacy and history is, it is also the history of most nations and has been for some while. What’s different, at least to me, is that both these island nations seemed to have learned something about the benefits of getting along with one another.

And also, perhaps, that while it is one thing to respect tradition, it is entirely another to be bound to senseless slaughter by it. That we have learned the difference, Dublin and London, is, I hope, the prayer of every Brit and every shamrock, orange or green, on the face of this planet. I know that’s the prayer of some folks in both places for whom I care a very great deal.

These colleagues of mine are the latest generation and when I listen to their concerns, it’s like I’m reminded ~ because it’s how my flipping mind works ~ that, like it or not, there’s like this entire generation on this planet wanting to bury the bloody hatchet.

Those are our kids, for crying out loud. They died by the thousands in Ireland because they weren’t important. They died in Dachau. They’re dying around the world, at one end of a bloody bayonet or the other.

All I’m asking here is just try to not make it all about the Irish this year. It’s not and St. Patrick never intended it that way.

And moving right along, we’re sad to note the crossing over of one of our favourite actors. Peter Graves, perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Phelps on the long-running American television series Mission Impossible and as the single-parent rancher on the earlier series, Fury, died at the age of 83 of a heart attack at his home in Palisades Park, California. A Minnesota native, he was the brother of American actor James Arness of Gunsmoke fame.

Well, just about the time I think chicken manure is passĂ© in some places, it surfaces where I least expect it and in this case, the Barnyard Bullshyte Award goes to the International Skating Union for threatening Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette with unspecified sanctions if she performs the routine dedicated to her mother that won her a Bronze in this year’s Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on American television network ABC’s Thin Ice. For more details and outrage far more articulate than ours, check out Rosie DiManno’s column in the Toronto Star. Honest to God, this is really over the top. And thank you, Siobhan, for tipping us off to this one.

And still moving right along, but also in the Why is this trip necessary? category, several of you have written in to report being stalked and/or harassed on the Internet. So it’s probably about time for me to remind you guys and you guys to tell your people, this stuff is against the law now. You don’t have to take it and if you’re thinking about using it as a tactic, I’d suggest you’d have better odds of bringing a bobcat home by the tail and with a lot better chance of surviving the experience.

In other words, cyberbullying is treated ~ and appropriately so ~ the same as it is offline. They investigate, the prosecute and they put people in jail for this. So if you’re being victimized online or you know someone who is, here’s the first place to go to put an end to it. It’s the Stalking Resource Center division of the National Center for Victims of Crime.

If that doesn’t work for you, contact us at minstrel312@aol.com and we’ll see if we can’t identify resources that will. We also strongly advise you to contact your local law enforcement agencies and your state attorney general’s office. There is absolutely no excuse for Internet harassment and stalking so it’s time to take care of this and get on with life.

We’re pleased to report that the University of Washington’s men’s basketball team took the PAC 10 this year. I say that not being into college athletics but because I live in the heart of Husky Land and there are like 42,000 of them who are ecstatic (and occasionally insufferably so) when they win and a real pain in the arse to deal with when they lose. I happen to be, if anything, a fan of the UW’s traditional rival, the Washington State University Cougars. My neighbors know this.

And occasionally I’ve contended, albeit mildly, in their presence that the one advantage in being a cougar kitten is that nobody can ever call you a son of a (you guys know the word). They are not generally amused by this observation but it does tend to bank the bonfires a bit. Like my infamous Grandpa Seamus said about pushing a wheelbarrow up a hill. Sometimes, if you’re not going backwards, you’re still making progress.

MORE GOOD NEWS

We happened to listen to one of the most absorbing radio interviews we’ve heard in a long time.
Evan Williams, Twitter co-founder, shared with the BBC’s World Service his vision that “social networks will become a fundamental way we communicate with our governments, businesses and loved ones.” For a transcript and an audio clip, please go here.

The electrification of private transportation will be a reality in big way on the West Coast by the end of this year and just in time for a mass marketing by Nissan and Chevrolet of their Leaf and Volt models, respectively. Last year, the federal Department of Energy commissioned the construction of charging stations in five states and California, Oregon and Washington were among them. These will be located in shopping malls, theater parking lots and wherever else drivers are inclined to leave their electric cards for a couple of hours. To see how this all came together and see how you can participate in suggesting other sites for these charging stations, please go here.

SURVIVING HARD TIMES

Sometimes surviving hard times also means knowing what you’re really up against so you can deal more realistically with life in general
. That’s what’s nice about weather forecasters and despite all the jokes about them, I respect them as a profession. The weather here is both moody and often unpredictable. It has a mind of its own and is as alive as the trees and everything else below and around it. So these women and men do a pretty good job of letting us know if it’s going to be too windy to use an umbrella or too cold to wait very long for a bus.

I look at economic forecasts for the same reason and I ran across one in The Atlantic that nearly froze my blood it was so stark and unsparing in discussing the psychological damage this Recession has caused to all concerned but particularly to children.

I read the whole thing but not all at once. I looked at it from, “like how much of this really applies to my situation, where I live ~ but most importantly ~ what we, as a city, county, state and region are doing about each of these impacts. It’s just like these statistics about getting published or making the Manchester United. There are two things they never factor in, talent and heart. I can understand that. It’s like trying to tack Jell-O to the wall (I’ve never understood why anyone would want to do that but as a figure of speech, it works so I’m using it.)

In this case, what this examination of the long range effects of this Recession does not factor in is the ability of individuals, families and communities to proactively deal with all of these issues on a broad front and in some ways that haven’t been tried in a long time.

Again, I go back to what Darwin said about survival of the species and that’s that it’s not about the strongest. It’s about the most adaptable.

So if you want to read that article in the Atlantic, please go here.

We reported earlier about a new “cult” of people who are taking things they enjoy doing and are good at and making a living. The eighth in this series of 14 asks what is so good about handmade and then went on to answer it eloquently. Yep, check it out here.

HEALTH NEWS

For those (like me) who believe that virtue is its own reward, smile because now medical science seems to have reached the same conclusion. According to realage.com, volunteering, doing a good deed each day and in general, helping others, engages the human brain in ways that are not only healthy on a daily basis but keep it young, as well. Yep, check it out here.

Registered organ donors in Israel will now be rewarded if they or members of their family are also awaiting an organ transplant by being moved up the line. According to Aron Heller of the Associated Press:

“The new law is the first of its kind in the world, and international medical authorities are eager to see if it boosts organ supply. But it has also raised resistance from within Israel's ultraorthodox Jewish minority.”

Yep, for more, check it out here.

Seattle Facts and Figures

Seattle Rainfall in Comparison To Other US Cities
Annual Precipitation
City/State Precipitation (In Inches)
Atlanta, GA 48.6
Vancouver, B.C. 46.0
Houston, TX 44.8
New York, NY 44.1
Boston, MA 43.8
Washington D.C. 39.0
SEATTLE, WA 38.6
Chicago, IL 33.3
Los Angeles, CA 12.1
For more information about Seattle, click here.
For live cameras on Seattle, the Puget Sound and Washington State, click here.

CRITTER STUFF

Global warming and the pollution humans have contributed to the degradation of the environment
are having some dramatic impacts on the behavior of thousands of species on the planet. Some of them are surviving by adopting some truly unusual and remarkable behaviors. For a fascinating description of how such creatures as the polar bear, red fox and Edith’s checkerspot butterfly, please go here.

YOU GUYS THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP.

Okay, it’s not like I don’t think you’ll believe me this time, it’s that even as environmentally dedicated and critter friendly as I am, raising miniature goats in the city is a stretch. Apparently, this ‘fad’ is not exactly inciting city fathers around the country to rapture either. In a story headlined Goat fans, cities butting heads, USA Today’s Judy Keen reports:

“Herd the latest?

“Looking for a pet that can live in your urban yard, answers to its name, wears a leash for strolls — and might produce milk you can drink or turn into cheese? Meet the minature goat.

“That's the case goat fans are making to city officials across the USA. Hillsboro, Ore., held three community meetings this year, including one last week, to ask residents whether goats and chickens should be added to a list of acceptable pets. City spokeswoman Barbara Simon says views run "more pro than con."

Yep, for the rest of this one, click here.

That’s it for this week. We’ve got some cool stuff down below you might want to check out. And if you’re in a shopping mood, be sure peruse our amazon.com ads and our reader-generated Northstar General Store.

Stay the course, gang. We’re getting there and we’re going to make it. And thanks once again for the ear. And stuff.

Rusty

For the ezine (graphics enhanced) version of The Northstar Journal, please email a request to mminstrel312@aol.com and you'll be added to the subscriber list.

NORTHSTAR RECOMMENDS

FUN STUFF

Ever been told you look like someone famous? Ever not been told that but would like to have been? Find a photo of yourself, go to this site, MyHeritage.com, upload it and get a gallery of celebrities you resemble, to one degree or another. Yep, it’s a total waste of time and an unabashed indulgence of ego. Probably two reasons why I totally loved it, even though a couple of my own pix didn’t turn up any results. It’s fun to play with so enjoy.

If you’re into a real interesting and visual escape, we certainly recommend The Art In LA website. It’s a virtual art gallery created by a real gentle, occasionally obnoxious but totally good-hearted soul with standards as fine as those of any engineer I’ve ever met. It’s also a good place for healthy meditation. If you’re lucky, you might just run into the artist herself. Her name is Colleen and she’s a trip, trust me. Yep, she was born under the fourth flag on our masthead.

Writer At Work is a blog which comes to us from Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England and here’s another case of appropriate hyperbole. Cadie, its author, is a university writer in training with a visually impressive informational website worthy of a professional with three decades more time in grade. Whether it’s specific advice to her peers or a dynamite story on a literary event in the United Kingdom, she does an admirable job of, as they say in the Colonies, “covering her bases.” She learns quickly, this one, and passes it along. What I also truly like about this site is that it is also a lifestyle slice of Merry Olde and from as ingenuous a source as I’ve met in some while. She’s a trip, gang. Check her out here.

HEALTH

Ten foods that really do help prevent cancer.

Grub you libido will love.

If you’d like to know whether your eating habits are either adding years to your life or taking them off, take this RealAge quiz. It will not only score your real age against your health age but give you a program for improvement. I’ve been working this one for about a month now and yep, I feel a lot better.

Want to know how to live to be 100? Try this one.

Take this test to see how your memory compares with the average.

Click here for fun games to improve your memory.

ONLINE TOOLS FOR THE KIT

PC World – This is the best source we’ve found yet for totally free, useful, reliable and secure (no viruses) downloads ranging from games through utilities and with a nice selection of screen savers, etc. What I particularly appreciate about it is how easy the site is to navigate. They also have a daily letter featuring two “daily downloads.”

Free People Search – This is an American online White Pages that I found really simple, quick and user friendly. I looked for myself under the several versions of my name and it found them all. It’s also free and doesn’t involve anything to download.

Know Thy Elected Officials - Just type in your zip code and this site will supply you with the names and contact information for your legislators from the state level up. This is a two click site with a host of other relevant features.


FOR YOUR SHOPPING CONVENIENCE












































And for a truly unique shopping experience, drop by and browse THE NORTHSTAR GENERAL STORE.

MEDIA

Overview

For those interested in what’s going on in the world of magazines and newspapers in general, we highly recommend Woodenhorsepub.com. They publish a weekly online newsletter for media professionals and for readers simply interested in the future of the publications they enjoy and an advance on new ones they might. Their website is located here.

Good “Reads”

News


BBC – Best source of international news.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (multi-media), the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun -- outstanding sources for Canadian national, provincial, and world news.

KING 5 News – Best source of video news of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound.

New York Times – Best source of American news.

Reuters – Best source of an international perspective on American headlines.

Seattle Times – Best source for news of the city and the Puget Sound. Its reportage is unbiased but their columns and other opinion pieces do reflect the predominant values of the Pacific Northwest.

Sightline Daily (formerly Tidepool) – Best source of Pacific Northwest regional news. Delivered daily by email, it covers Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They also put out an excellent weekly environmental edition.

Entertainment

BBC Knowledge Magazine – designed to give the American magazine National Geographic the proverbial run for its money.

Writer At Work -- a visually impressive informational website which includes specific advice to writers, a list of resources for same and dynamite stories on a literary events in the United Kingdom, this one is for the aspiring writer and the professional alike.

TomatoMan Times -- For those who love good writing, there are fewer finer contemporary craftsmen out there now than professionally known as Tomatoman Mike. He’s as Northern Californian as John Steinbeck is, albeit with a dash of Sam Clemmons, Bret Harte and Robert W. Service in him. He’s a romp to read, trust me.

U Got Style is a monthly ezine dedicated to independent films. Fully illustrated, it features hard news, interviews, reviews and a wide variety of other information. It’s also fun to read.

Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean – Live from the smallest record store in North America. Canadian humor, entertainment and commentary at its maple leaf best. Popular on National Public Radio in the States.

Talent For Hire -- Rusty Miller, Freelance Photojournalist – Whether it’s a one time press release, book or product review, difficult business correspondence, resume or classified ad composition you need, take a look at the services offered menu on my writer-for-hire homepage and we’ll get together on it.

Are you a travel editor looking for color shots of Seattle? Are you an art dealer looking for new work to carry on consignment? You might enjoy checking out a gallery of my work for sale

See you next week, eh?