Vomitting in the car.

Travelling from San Jose del Cabo to Tijuana in Mexico to cross there the border into the USA, takes about 5 days of driving.
From 9 am to 18 pm.

It is enjoyable and a pleasure.
To drive the Fuso Szulc and to see the beautiful landscape.
But most of all to have this feeling of freedom.
Any place and anytime a stop can be made.

To make the experience even more interesting the travelling includes listening to the XM-Satellite radio.
These days most of the time to CNN because of the elections.
But today it was just too much.

This is because of John McCain.
He has been selecting a running mate, called Sarah Palin who is clearly incompetent, inexperienced and unqualified to become vice president of the United States.
And possibly even President in case McCain dies.

What makes a healthy person sick and vomit is the way Republicans are now defending the choice of McCain.
There is nothing else they can do: they must keep the ranks of the party closed.
But while they know the lady is incompetent, inexperienced and unqualified, they spin and twist and turn to put it in a way that she is the best person in the whole of the United States for this job.
Those are terrible demonstrations of hypocrisy, lying, cheating and of dishonesty.
In a way understandable because no Republican will get it in the head to stand up and say that McCain made a terrible mistake selecting Palin.
But it shows moral corruption with people who claim they have such high standards of morality.

There was a Republican woman who was explaining that Palin was the right choice because she was having the right conservative ideals.
Pro Life, anti abortion, pro Bible, pro NRA, pro evangelical.
A most silly way of reasoning because if those are the qualifications to become vice-president of the USA, millions of Americans would qualify also.

Today, CNN had also a program where speeches made by McCain and Palin could be heard.
Palin saying exactly the same things as in her acceptance speech the day before.
Cracks in the glass ceiling of Clinton.
But most embarrassing were her words about John McCain.
She said that he is the man that can stop the Iranians from firing their nuclear missiles.
This is such a stupid remark.
Such a demonstration of ignorance.
Such a lack of any intelligence.
And a strong revealing of viciousness and eagerness to manipulate

Hearing her speech for the second time it became clear, when carefully listening to her voice, that it has a high level of hysteria.
Fervent and loyal blog readers are advised to pay attention the next time Palin speaks: the person is emotionally so high that any moment she could start screaming like they do in an asylum.

The other thing that makes sick and almost vomit is the fact that each time by all involved McCain is described as a war hero.
That he served his country so bravely.

The truth is he is not a war hero but that nobody dares to say that.
The facts are that he was involved in an illegal war that was condemned worldwide.
The USA had no business in Vietnam and as we can see today, that war made no sense whatsoever.

One year after the Americans pulled out of Vietnam the country was united and now Americans walk on Nike shoes made in Vietnam.

We also know that the American Army operated as barbarians in Vietnam.
Using napalm on innocent civilians.
Using the system of carpet-bombing destroying and killing everything and everybody existing on wide areas.
Devastating huge areas not only in Vietnam but Laos as well, with the chemical Agent Orange.
Even today people still die because of Agent Orange.

It is not a war to be proud of at all, let alone to say that the soldiers involved are heroes.

The facts are that McCain graduated from the Naval Academy at almost the bottom of his class.
790th out of 795 graduates.
He lost 5 aircrafts in his career as a pilot and was not kicked out for this as his Dad, who was an Admiral, protected him.
In total McCain has been only 20 hours in combat.
He flew 23 missions, but he got 28 medals.
Those medals were not for the few missions he flew, but for the supposedly bravery he showed after he was shot down and captured.
This bravery has its questions.
There were no American witnesses who can confirm the claims of McCain.
Himself, he admitted later he had been given military information to the Vietcong in exchange for medical treatment.

McCain was a pilot dropping bombs and we must appreciate the Vietcong had the humanity not to kill him right away.

But nobody dares to say this in the USA.
That McCain is partly responsible for the huge cost of 6 million Vietnamese and 2 million Laotians and Cambodians lives, most of them civilians.

It all became too much listening to the American elections circus and CNN had to be switched off.
We don’t want the interior of the Fuso Szulc made dirty because two silly and idiotic politicians make the driver vomit.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn mnore about the Vietnam war, click on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War


To learn more about John McCain, click on:

http://www.forandagainst.com/articles/McCain_s_Military_Record_Shows_He_Is_Unfit_To_Be_President





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Idiots

Recently the election campaign currently taking place in the USA was called a circus of clowns.
A correction has to be made to this because John McCain has created a whole new dimension to campaigning.
The one of an idiot.
John McCain has turned now the election campaign into a circus of idiots.

His running mate has become Mrs. Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska.
She has no serious education: she studied journalism for some time.
She never had a serious job: she worked as a radio sports reporter.
She was a mayor of a town of 8.000 inhabitants.
And she was less than 20 months Governor of Alaska: a small state with only 650.000 inhabitants.
She has 5 children to take care of: the youngest one only a few months old and having Dow Syndrome needing special attention for the years to come.

She is not the idiot.
The people around her who are now claiming she is the best choice, are the idiots.

This starts with John McCain himself.
He didn’t know her.
Had met her only once.
Talked with her in private only at one meeting recently.
And now suddenly she will be the best candidate to become vice president of the United States.
Obviously he is lying.
He has no way to know and guarantee she will be the best choice.
But she was chosen for political reasons and out of desperation.

Behind John McCain forms a long line of other idiots.
Who suddenly agree with him on his choice of Sarah Palin without having one single good reason.
So they come up with naïve fantasies and by whipping cream.

It may be wondered how many Republican voters have enough sense in their minds to refuse to believe in all this idiotic running of the election campaign of their party leaders.

Meanwhile the rest of the world gets very scared what is going on in the USA.
They see a scenario that a man who is 74 years old and might become the new President of the USA, who had cancer 4 times and who might suddenly die, will be replaced by a 44 year old person with no experience in any field that is required.
A person who will have to run a major nation and make decisions affecting most of the world population.
Who will have the hand on the switch to use nuclear weapons.

The persons in the recent US electoral developments to feel sorry for are not the Republican politicians who had a high chance to become potential vice-presidents because they had the experience and the wisdom.
The person to feel sorry for is Sarah Palin.
She is not catapulted into a position for who she is but she is used for political, opportunistic and desperate reasons.
There is a high chance that in the coming months she will falter coming under tremendous pressure and attack.
To loose her reputation and her happiness.

Sorry we also feel for her five children who will lack a lot the love and attention of their mother, as she is too busy elsewhere.



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Out of fuel.

Fervent and loyal blog readers know to expect a posting every day.
But sometimes there is also a bonus to be found.
Today the bonus is two images made this morning of the sun rising above the Sea of Cortez near Santa Rosalia.



Yesterday the unfortunate situation arose that in the town of Mulege, the Pemex gas station had run out of diesel.
According to the friendly attendant the next diesel could be found in Santa Rosalia at 65 kilometres (40 miles).
The other option was to wait in Mulege for the supply tanker to come.
Maybe two hours, maybe a day, the attendant informed.

It was decided that the way to go was forwards.
To take the chance to reach Santa Rosalia with the little diesel that was left in the tank of the Fuso Szulc.
But after about 40 kilometres (24 miles) it was clear it was not going to work.
So a stop was made in a small village at the sea called San Lucas.
People met there were informed what was the situation and unfortunately there was no diesel in the village.
But a most friendly man called Manuel, offered to drive to Santa Rosalia at 20 kilometres (12 miles) with a jerry can to fetch diesel from the gas station there.
The trip was made together and Manuel told the amazing story that a few months ago a ring of paedophiles had been discovered in Santa Rosalia.
Men, from Mexico and the USA, who had been using local children to get their sexual satisfactions.
It had been a big scandal that has been published in all the regional newspapers.

Back in San Lucas the Fuso Szulc was filled with 20 litres (5 gallons) of diesel enough to reach Santa Rosalia.

But the night was spend at the sea near San Lucas together with fishermen who were going out in their boats at night to catch ink fish.

When all had left and while listening to the most impressive speech of Barrack Obama a drunken fisherman came knocking on the door of the Fuso Szulc.
Rather drunk and wanting money.
A most unpleasant and potentially dangerous situation.
He was promised to get his money the next morning in a most authorative and dominating manner to intimidate him away and this fortunately worked.




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A circus of clowns in the truck.

The journey from Mexico to the USA has started in earnest.
Last night the city of Ciudad Constitucion was reached.
The whole trip is about 1.500 km (950 miles) and this takes about 4 days.
On a narrow road, crossing mountains and deserts, moving from east coast to west coast going to the northwest.
At a speed of 80 km per hour. (50 miles)

In front has been the tropical storm “Julio” and this can be clearly noticed.
Roads are cleaned up from sand that has been washed on it.
Streets in towns and villages are still inundated and inaccessible.
And most beautifully, nature is turning green.

The sky is still covered with clouds and this is a good thing.
It makes it less hot and this allows driving to be more pleasant and more easy on the engine.

While driving northwest it is possible to receive the XM-satellite radio signal.
Hence, there is live coverage of the Democratic convention in Denver, USA in the Fuso Szulc cabin moving in Mexico.

It may be insulting and inappropriate but the Democratic Convention currently taking place makes a knowledgeable person think strongly of the Communist Party Meetings in Moscow in the 80’s.
Because everything that happens is orchestrated.
Even every little detail.
It is not a meeting of a political party discussing things and coming to conclusions and elections of new leaders.
It has all been cooked beforehand and the meeting is turned in one big propaganda demonstration.
To try to influence the voters that are undecided or in the other camp to become supportive also.

This obsession with positive publicity and getting the attention is now occurring while Obama Barack is going to give his acceptance speech,
Right at that moment John McCain starts a PR-offensive about who is going to be his running mate.
To try to get media attention away from his opponent.

All this is very silly and has nothing to do with serious politicians.
Who represent a political program created and accepted by a democratic process within a political party.

It is a lot about persons.
About individuals.
About image.
About heads and reputations.
A circus of clowns.



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100.000 visitors !!!

Today a milestone in the history of the blog “The life of a pioneering photographer”.
The 100.000th visitor has been welcomed.
A person from Barcelona in Spain.

Blog of Michel Szulc Krzyzanowski
By Location > Visit Detail
Visit 100,000

Domain Name ono.com ? (Commercial)
IP Address 62.57.4.# (Cable i Televisio de Catalunya)
ISP Retevision S.A.
Location
Continent : Europe
Country : Spain (Facts)
State/Region : Cataluna
City : Barcelona
Lat/Long : 41.3833, 2.1833 (Map)
Language Spanish (Spain)
es-es
Operating System Microsoft WinXP
Browser Firefox
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; es-ES; rv:1.8.1.16) Gecko/20080702 Firefox/2.0.0.16
Javascript version 1.5
Monitor
Resolution : 1920 x 1200
Color Depth : 32 bits
Time of Visit Aug 27 2008 6:32:46 am
Last Page View Aug 27 2008 6:32:46 am
Visit Length 0 seconds
Page Views 1
Referring URL http://www.google.es...ial&client=firefox-a
Search Engine google.es
Search Words szulc-krzyzanowski
Visit Entry Page http://www.michelszu...nowski.blogspot.com/
Visit Exit Page http://www.michelszu...nowski.blogspot.com/
Out Click
Time Zone UTC+1:00
Visitor's Time Aug 27 2008 3:32:46 pm
Visit Number 100,000

The blog “The life of a pioneering photographer” has been started on November 14th, 2006.
Suggested by fellow traveller George “Tioga” Lehrer.
And until now 653 postings have been published.
From different parts of the world and covering a wide range of subjects.

Because the blog “The life of a pioneering photographer” is non-commercial, there is no need to please the readers or to make them believe what a great guy the blog writer is.
This is why sometimes there is controversy.
But often satisfaction and happiness with the readers as well.

The answer to the question why the effort is made to publish a posting every day, an effort that is often difficult and demanding, is that it is interesting to do.
And fun too.
And as long as it remains interesting and fun, with great joy the daily publishing will continue.

The best part of writing and publishing a posting every day is the responses coming from the fervent and loyal blog readers.
Many e-mails and comments are received and they are often encouraging and educational.
And on many occasions fervent and loyal blog readers have been helpful and of assistance.

Hence, we applaud today a milestone of 100.000 readers and they are the ones that must get the glory and the flowers.

Anyone who feels congratulating the person responsible for writing 653 postings can do so by transferring an amount to the organization “Amnesty International”.
Go to: http://www.amnesty.org/en/donate





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85 % of hate

As fervent and loyal blog readers know the Fuso Szulc is equipped with a Datastorm Satellite System.
With this communication system it is possible to connect to a satellite and send and receive e-mails.
Visit websites and use VOIP phone communication.
This makes the permanent pilgrim even while in retreat a person in the centre of many events and activities.

However, the Datastorm Satellite System is also a source of frustration.
Because it is not always working and for sure totally erratic.
It is for example common that it takes over one hour of searching the sky before actual acces to the Internet has been acquired.

There is a website of users of the Datastorm Satellite System and two things can be learned there.
One is that there are many out there who have serious problems with the system.
Second fact is that it is all very complicated.
A simple user cannot follow what is discussed because it is so specific and technical.

On the user website also a lot of frustration can be found.
And for good reasons.
For example, it is well known that in case someone has the evil courage to update the firmware of the electronic equipment, the chance is the system will not work at all anymore.
And it will be extremely difficult to get it back to work.

It is unavoidable to get frustrated with a Datastorm Satellite System.
When again the sound of the electric engines of the disk are whining above the head when searching the sky ever and ever.
To hear the disk return to its folded up position because it was unsuccessfull.
To have the system start searching again.



And then when eventually contact is made with the satellite, and it can be seen from the coordinates it is the correct one, it says the satellite is unknown and it resumes to search the sky.

And once locked to the correct signal everything is fine.
It transmits data.
It receives data.
All the diode lights on the electronic equipment blinking except one.
The one for “system”.
And therefore no acces to the Internet.
This is as of a few days…
But it has been discovered that when switching off the D3 controller, the “System”-light will come on and access to the Internet is secured.

Why is all this?
Why can’t it simply work easy and efficient?

Result is a love and hate relationship with the Datastorm Satellite System.
But the hate part is about 85 %.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Datastorm users website can be found by clicking on:
http://www.datastormusers.com/

The Datastorm company’s website is:
http://www.motosat.com/





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How to make a cashier girl cry.

Living the different life compared to the one while in retreat with the birds in the lagoon.
The many activities to do now with the contacts in the civilised world and sometimes getting amazed by how things go and witnessing the madness and other extremes.

For example this most important bank in Europe where an account.
A new bankcard has to be activated and after receiving by mail the new bankcard and in another envelop the pin code, a next step has to be made.
The bank needs to be called to activate the new card.
The message heard when calling the number is that it is the bank “ ...and now we stop the connection”.
Fortunately a friend works in that bank and was called to ask what was going on.
He checked and it was a technical problem.
Would take one to two days before customers of the bank abroad can get in touch again.

For example buying the new MacBook in the OfficeMax store.
Checking out with a cashier girl took over one hour.
Because she was complicating unnecessarily every step of the process.
Her service was so bad and so slow that eventually, after one grueling hour, the manager was called and asked to replace the incompetent cashier girl.
Who immediately disappeared behind a door crying.

Amazingly also that Office Max gave over 1.000 Mexican Pesos ( 67 € / 99$ ) instant discount.
And a 1.500 Mexican Pesos ( 100 € / 148 $ )gift certificate.
And bonus points for their bonus point program.

Surprising as well how easy, simple and fast it was to transfer all the data from the MacBook Pro to the MacBook.
This was thanks to a software program called Timemachine that is build into the Apple operating system.
As recently as 3 days ago a back up was made with Timemachine on a LaCie external hard disk.
Connecting this external hard disk to the new MacBook and within two hours everything on the new computer was similar to the old one.
Bravo Apple.

That kind of experiences give much thought to reflection.

That can whirl in the head while driving this morning from San Jose del Cabo to La Paz: a 4 hours trip.





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Turmoil together

Another spectacular day in the life with a conglomeration of events since the birds in the lagoon “Estero del Tomate” have been left recently.

First of all was the meeting with “Julio”.
This a tropical depression hitting the southern part of the Mexican peninsula Baja California with strong winds and incredible rainfall.

This was experienced while at the rancho of the Gonzales family.
The visit paid to these dear friends was together with the Mexican Señorita for a very special occasion.

Over the last 28 years the Gonzales have been extensively documented in many, many photographs.
Next, last Summer in Nowy Sacz in Poland where the archive is, most negatives of the Gonzales family were scanned.
And with these images 12 photo-books were composed of the different members of the family.
Last night was a ceremony at the rancho to share food and some Tempranillo with many family members, to offer the oldest of the Gonzales family, Señor Gumaro Gonzales, the 12 photo books.

A major decision had to been taken.
Whether to take the camera to the ceremony and document this as well
It was realized that it was an important choice.
Between being there as a friend or as a photographer.
And the choice to have an event take place as a private ceremony seen by a few only or as a public one for potentially the world to share.

The presentation of the 12 books had a high level of emotion.
Several of the 12 persons subject of the books did pass away.
Very much loved by the family and seeing them again through the photo-books revived strongly the emotions.
Is that something to be shared or to be documented?

This time it was decided to share and not to document.
To be there with the Gonzales family as a friend and not as a photographer.


At the end of the ceremony “Julio “ arrived.
The tropical storm.
A run through the storm had to be made for the camper.

A night of meteorological turmoil of the most extreme kind was experienced.
And this intimately together.

Certain issues were the result of “Julio”.
Leaking water into the Fuso Szulc damaged the MacBook Pro laptop computer.
Unavailable until it becomes clear it can be fixed.
And the Datastorm Satellite system has become more erratic than ever and takes over an hour to make access to the Internet possible.
If lucky.

An escape was made from Rancho Punta Boca del Salado back to the town of San Jose del Cabo.
Before the heavy rains would wash away the roads and make riverbeds impossible to cross.
One must see what devastation to roads a tropical storm and its rainfall is doing.
Many parts of the roads are simply washed away or blocked by swollen rivers.

Fortunately the Fuso Szulc is heavy and has an excellent 4x4 system.
Where other cars couldn’t cross, to the total amazement of those desperate people unable to come through, the Fuso Szulc crossed deep and seriously swollen rivers as if it was the most fun thing to do.

In this way an escape was made from the hinterlands now in isolation because of the tropical storm and the trip continued to an Office Max shop in Cabo San Lucas where a MacBook was purchased.

In about a week the Fuso Szulc should arrive in the USA where the MacBook Pro is supposed to find service in an Apple Shop somewhere to diagnose the total malfunctioning and to have it possibly fixed.

With the new MacBook on board the Fuso Szulc, there is at least a back-up situation as of now.



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The good things beyond the sins.

After 24 days in solitude far, far away from what is considered civilization, returning into the matrix consisting of offerings to fulfil desires.
As always this is overwhelming and concerning certain proposals irresistible.
The discipline that was so strict while in retreat slips away and while knowing it is not good, somehow it forces its way in.
This makes one think whether living in the isolation and simple ness of “Estero del tomate” is not a refuge.
An escape.
To run away from all the things that can catch as one can be caught.

For sure, staying for longer periods of time in harmony and peace and simplicity makes a person vulnerable once returning to real life with its complex lures.

In fact, if time is spent very close to nature and to oneself, returning to the world should be accompanied by mental and physical bodyguards.
Who protect and have the authority not to have the person so vulnerable after the long retreat see disappear and getting lost in the city attractions.

But the protagonist is on his own.
After 24 days in solitude next to the lagoon and its birds and its sun risings and its reflections in the water doubling the sky and its clouds.
And the wind from the northwest wishing its wishes so persistently and the ocean waves so scaring to offer possible drowning and the emotional pain and joy that can be felt there next to the lagoon.
But also the passion and the uniqueness and the inevitability.

And the eventual unavoidability of having to leave the Laguna as there is no more drinking water and fresh fruit and fresh vegetables.
Forced to face the powers, so very vulnerable to.
Because there is among many things, sex in the city.
And iTunes is blocked; this in case the city is Beijing.
And in the city the ways are offered to forget.
To relax and fade away.
Into oblivion.

And in the city it is learned that at the Olympic Games in Beijing India has won its first gold medal.
A man won the 10 metres air rifle competition.
Was there any loyal and fervent blog reader aware that the 10 metres air rifle was an Olympic discipline?
Rather unknown and probably not even on TV.

Next it was learned that the women from the Netherlands won the hockey final of China.
The Chinese didn’t even come to scoring.
The result was 2 – 0.
Teaching us once again what tough cookies the Dutch ladies have become.

The last thing learned was the way Barack Obama informed the world who was going to be his running mate and the possible vice-president of the USA.
Not a press conference or some hullabaloo event.
He decided to first send a text message to all his millions of supporters.
After which it was given to the press.
That is a wonderful way of doing.
On the one hand to respect supporters by informing them first.
And on the other hand to make smart use of modern communication techniques.

Back in the city where it is discovered also good things are happening beyond the sins.




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A boat ! A boat !!

The female athletes participating in the current Olympic Games in Beijing, China, found another way to run in deeper the point that was made in yesterday’s posting.
That women are better in sports because of higher level of pain and willpower compared to men.

The world champion in water polo for women is the United States.
They managed to reach the finals of the Beijing Olympic Games where they met yesterday the team of the Netherlands.
It turned out the team from the Netherlands had the highest threshold of pain and willpower and they won the gold.

Today is the final of the women playing hockey.
It will be between China and again the women from the Netherlands.

Meanwhile this period of retreat, contemplation and photographic creation has come to an end.
After 24 days the “Estero del Tomate” will not be observed any more for the weeks to come.

Yesterday, to uttermost surprise, a boat was spotted.
Sailing southwards far away at the horizon.



This is the first boat that has been seen in almost 50 days.

Looks like a fishing boat.











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He runs like a woman

Today an important subject needs our attention.
It comes from Beijing, China.

In the Fuso Szulc is not much interest in the Olympic Games currently taking place in Beijing.
There are better things to do than see on TV girls in tight clothes play beach volleyball or run around in circles.
No interest in achievements that are coming from how high the level of wealth and economic progress is in a country.
Ever wondered why the second largest nation in the world by population, India with over 1 billion people, has hardly any medals at the Olympic Games in China?
India is too poor.
On the chart of Olympic medals won in Beijing, China is number one with 46 gold medals and the USA second with 28 gold medals.
India is ranked 45 and Mexico is 46 of 72 participating countries.
India and Mexico have each one gold medal and one bronze medal only…
Very revealing.

However, the subject today is the Netherlands.
They are ranked 10th on the medal list with 15 medals.
This fact has resulted in a serious public discussion in the Netherlands because of those 15 medals; women won a total of 13.
Men won only 2 and this has never been seen before.
It used to be the other way around.
Men would win most medals and then a few by women.
But this Olympics the balance is shocking.
Women outperforming the men dramatically.

One of the explanations given on Dutch TV was that the society of the Netherlands has become very decadent and hedonistic.
Life has become very easy.
There is hardly competition and no struggle needed to survive.
A lot comes to people easy and gentle.

Societies as we have in China and the USA are very competitive.
You can make it in those countries, have a successful career, but for this you have to work like hell.
You have to be full of zeal and ambition.
Loaded with passion and motivation and needing high amounts of energy and positive aggression.
You fight, you win.
You don’t fight, you get nowhere.

This way of how a society works is reflected at the Olympic Games.
In the Netherlands no fighting is needed anymore to have a comfortable life.
Everything is easy and taking care of.
So, when it comes to competition an athlete from the Netherlands will not train as vigorous as an athlete from China or the USA.
Limits are reached sooner.
Giving up comes to mind quickly.
The will to win is smaller compared to athletes of other countries.
The ability and passion to go deep and to the bottom of what is possible lacks.
And that is what it is all about at the Olympics.

One person interviewed about this matter on Dutch TV is a trainer who worked both with men and women.
He explained that men from the Netherlands are more easily giving up compared to women.
The trainer calls it the pain frontier.
When running for example, a moment comes that energy feels to have dissipated.
Muscles in legs start to hurt badly.
The runner can do two things now.
One is to give up.
The pain frontier has been reached and is not crossed.
According to the trainer on TV, the pain frontier of men is not as far away as the one of women.
Women are able to suffer pain more easily than men.
So, during training and competition the women push the pain frontier more far ahead while men give up.
The trainer said that he always had to push men to continue to exercise and not give up so easily, while he had to slow down women, as they would tend to even overdo it.

Every late afternoon it is time to do the running.
And as of yesterday the running is like a woman.
Not concerning dress code or specific female movements and way of speaking though.
But the male mentality is temporarily replaced by the female willpower.
This has amazing results.
She ran yesterday an unprecedented 53 minutes.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

To check the medals ranking of the current Olympic Games in Beijing, China, click on:

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml

On the same planet but in different worlds.

To live near a lagoon means to have many neighbours.
These neighbours are mainly the birds who live by the hundreds in the shallow water.

Of course there are more animals around.
As there are coyotes, snakes, lizards and rabbits.
But they are present in a discrete way and are rarely seen.

There are also the cows and horses that come to drink the salty water of the lagoon and eat the grass that grows near it.
But they are always afraid of the Fuso Szulc and remain at a safe distance.
Hence, binoculars are used to observe especially the horses.
Because horses are fascinating to look at.
They live in a world of themselves and it is very challenging to get an idea what is going on there.
Horses are also delighting to watch for the way they move.
It has an elegancy and harmony that is most inspiring.
They move like in a permanent slow-mo.
Not that that they are slow or retarded.
They seem to have reached a state of enlightenment from where movements come completely in tune with the grass growing.

Most of the attention of the observer the birds get.
Now that they are used to the Fuso Szulc and a man moving around it, the birds have come to understand there is no danger coming from the visitor.
They continue their daily life and come very close to the encampment of the human.

Typical for the birds is that they all look the same.
There are about 20 different horses coming to the lagoon and several of them look in a way that they can be recognised and identified.
But birds are all identical.
There are not even young birds and older ones.
They all seem to have the same age.

Most dominating bird in the lagoon is this one:



No idea how it is ornithologically called.
It has long legs and a long upward beak.
It considers itself the king of the lagoon.
It tolerates a smaller species but any other bird coming close is in trouble.
When occasionally a sea gull accidentally happens to like to inquire what the lagoon is about, immediately one or two Kings of the Lagoon get airborne and loudly chase away the intruder.
This is spectacular to see because they operate like dive-bombers.
They don’t even hesitate to attack and chase away very large Men at War-birds, three times their size.



The other kind of bird very present in the lagoon is this one:



They live in large groups and spend the whole day roaming the shallow water looking for food.
What is incredibly remarkable of this bird is that frequently all of them at a magical moment suddenly get airborne.
Why that particular moment is not to understand.
There is no sign, warning or other trigger.
It simply suddenly happens.


Next, they do some spectacular flying manoeuvres above the lagoon.
They fly in a group of one to two hundred of them and make many sudden twists and turns.
It seems there is some magical force directing these aero-acrobatics because the hundreds of them change direction together in perfect sync.
This way, that way, upwards, downwards and all hundreds of them exactly at the same time.
And never a bird crashes into another one.
While they fly at high speed.



All these birds live in groups and this they manage to do in a certain harmony.
Sometimes they have things to settle it seems and they threaten or chase each other, but it always ends peacefully like nothing happened.

Obviously these birds have an incredible high level of collective consciousness.
We humans have a consciousness of ourselves and keep that very private.
We are not very good hooking up our consciousness to that of others and have it operate as a shared consciousness.
We do know that we have a subconscious collective consciousness, but we have allowed that to vanish.
But among birds, the ones living in groups, it seems that there is hardly a private consciousness.
And this is understandable: a single small bird has very little chance of survival.
When they are by the hundreds together, their sheer number protects them.

In order to keep the level of collective consciousness high the birds in the lagoon use their voice.
Constantly they communicate with each other by making sounds with their voice.
To inform each other they are there.
And of course to give warnings.

Very surprising was to learn that this constant chirping and twittering goes on even at night.
These smaller birds seem not to sleep.
They need to continue to audio communicate and the question is what in fact they are talking about.
Or is it only a way to inform the others of being there?
That these birds need to feel they are all there and OK?

Birds are living creatures, just like us.
We share the same planet.
But in fact birds and humans are like aliens for each other.
On the same planet but in different worlds.







.

Failing fan

The Fuso Szulc expedition vehicle is equipped with a Dometic Classic fridge.
This refrigerator can work on 120 volts electricity or on propane.
Most of the time the Fuso Szulc is far away from electricity and the fridge runs on propane.
However, the cooling capacity when a fridge works on propane is lower compared to when it works on electricity.

To this comes the fact that the Fuso Szulc is usually in areas where it is warm.
Like now, next to the “Estero del Tomate” in Mexico, daily temperatures reach around 33º C. (91,5º F.)
It is hard for the Dometic Classic fridge on propane to keep the temperatures low inside.

What could make a difference is to use a “Solar Fridge Exhaust Fan”.
This invention controls the heat build up in the vent compartment behind the refrigerator.
This heat build up can dramatically reduce the efficiency of the refrigerator.
The idea is to mount the ventilator behind the fridge.
It will blow away up into the air the heat of the cooling fins.
Making the fridge work more efficiently.


The “Solar Fridge Exhaust Fan” is easy to install: a small solar panel on the roof and a cable to the ventilator.
If ordered from Amazon.com, it costs around $ 55. (€ 38)
And next, it works.
Doesn’t need any attention or service.



All this sounds like a good thing to do and a “Solar Fridge Exhaust Fan” was ordered, taken to Mexico by a friend and installed behind the fridge of the Fuso Szulc.

But within three months the “Solar Fridge Exhaust Fan” has stopped working.
Two problems.
One is that the solar panel has its solar cells not sealed properly.
Moisture has gotten inside the panel and is corrupting the efficiency of the solar cells.


But most dramatically and essential is that the small electrical engine of the fan has failed.
Within three months it has gotten stuck.
The moving part inside the electrical engine is experiencing resistance so it is hard to turn it around.
Maybe this is because of wear and tear.
Poor quality of the engine that can only serve for three months.

This “Solar Fridge Exhaust Fan” is made in Taiwan.
By a small company called Solatron Incorporated.


The boss there is Mr. Richard Hsu.
He was e-mailed and informed about the problems experienced with the Solatron Incorporated product.
Until now no results are coming from this communication.
Mr. Hsu claims that the solar panel is not made by his company and he does not respond at all to the malfunctioning fan.

This is a very different experience as has been recently had with the company in the USA that makes the Fan-Tastic Vents.
In the bathroom of the Fuso Szulc is a roof vent with ventilator made by Fan-Tastic Vent.
A switch broke as well as the hinge.
An e-mail was sent to the service department of Fan-Tastic Vent and the same day they shipped the items to Mexico.

We will wait now how Solatron Incorporated will honour service and quality.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the "Solar Fridge Exhaust Fan”, check:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00106ACEC

http://www.allproducts.com/ee/solatron-1/supplier.html





.

Rick Warren warranted

Yesterday’s posting was about the forum of the two presidential candidates in the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, USA.

The issue discussed was the fact that the First Amendment of the American Constitution was violated as Church and State were mixed.

From both sides.
Politicians should never accept to hold political electoral meetings inside churches with its religious followers as the audience and a Pastor as the moderator.
But also a Church should never invite politicians to come inside their building to discuss politics.
In the end, a Church is a place of worship of God.

One of the scaring aspects of the American society has become the growing numbers of people that are getting into being Evangelicals.
People that are unable to create a life for themselves but instead turn to a Church for moral guidance, discipline and structure.
People who accept to live not as they feel they should live or who are prepared to find this out for themselves.
They accept to live in a religious community that share the same believes, dress code, ideas and values that they find in the Bible as explained by their pastors.
They become mindless members of a flock.
No ideas of their own but simply repeating what they are told on Sunday.
As these people have become so numerous, politicians who want to win elections must try to get the Evangelicals on their side.
So, they accept to disrespect the First Amendment of the Constitution.
And become friendly with Pastors.

One of the major persons initiating and promoting the recent event with John McCain and Barack Obama was the man behind the Saddleback Church.
Rick Warren.



He and his wife Kay came to the Saddleback Valley in 1979 after he had finished studying at a seminary.
It is not known at which seminary Warren has studied and if he actually finished his studies successfully.
In any case, at the seminary he was instructed in philosophy, theology, spirituality and the religious life, in preparation for Warren to become a member of the clergy.
But what he did was to call himself “Pastor” and to open within one year after settling in Lake Forest his own church.
The Saddleback Valley Community Church.

He ran his church like a business.
Promoting principles found in the Bible, he attracted people looking for guidance and purpose in life to his church.
In this he was very successful.
Within 15 years he had a huge following.
Creating a comfortable living for himself.

As often is the case, once the success was there he believed he could market nationally and internationally his strategies for success.
He gave it a name: “The Purpose Driven Church”.
Warren organized workshops and trainings, at a cost of course.
And published his strategies in a book.
Resulting in over 200.000 people worldwide learning from Warren how to start and run a church successfully.

The next thing was to write a book for the flock.
To get them even more into his territories.
His book is called “The purpose driven life” and sold over 11 million copies.

Rick Warren is an entrepreneur.
Using religion as a way to make money, have power and a reputation.

But he is an unhappy man.
He is fundamentally insecure and compensates this by being dominant.
His inner balance shows by his physical appearance.
The man is overweight: being unbalanced results in having bad eating habits.
His face has become inflated what he tries to hide by a ridiculous moustache and goatee.
His body is loaded with fat that he covers with loose fitting clothes.

Of course the man is out of balance.
He has been preaching for 28 years telling people how to live.
Giving them rules.
Saying what is not allowed.
Pretending to know what is right and what is wrong.
Staying for the public eye constantly within a framework of moral regulations coming from the Bible.

This can only frustrate a person.
Because it means that a high level of hypocrisy must be applied every day.
In fact, it means to live in lies all the time.
Not being able to live up to the own standards advocated and having to hide and cover it up.

There have been Rick Warren’s before in the USA.
And many of them have fallen from their self-build pedestals.
Because they were in fact not the persons they had been pretending to be.

This will happen with Rick Warren as well.
Here and now the prediction is made that one day things will become known about Rick Warren that will make him loose the respect and success he has been able to achieve until now.
With some of us.





.

The Church in the White House.

There are countries where there is a separation between Church and State.
The Church and its moral hullabaloo is allowed to apply it within their buildings only.
However, there are countries where the Church and its leaders are the dominating force and decide how the population should live.

These countries that are politically and socially dominated by religion are often applying the Sharia.

Sharia is the body of Islamic religious law.
It is a legal framework within which the public and private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system.
Sharia decides many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business, family, sexuality and social issues.

Countries in Europe and a country like the United States have always been opposed to religion as a power to control a society.
Already in 1802 Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptists explaining that the First Amendment of the United States Constitution creates a wall of separation between Church and State.

We could say therefore that the United States is a secular country.
On one side of the wall is the Church and on the other side of the wall is the State.

But is that really so?
Not last night.

A political forum was organised between the two contenders to become the new President of the United States.
Was this forum taking place in a University?
In a theatre?
In a TV studio?
No, it took place in a Church.

And was the forum leader and the person asking the questions a neutral journalist?
Or maybe a wise and older objective person?
The forum leader also asking the questions was the leader of that Church Mr. Eric Warren.

Did the audience consist of persons interested in politics?
A selection of Democrats and Republicans?
The people inside the church were the supporters of Eric Warren and his beliefs.

Was this therefore a separation between Church and State?
Not at all.
It was a situation where the Church had the political contenders appear in front of a very judgmental and doctrinal religious person to check in how far they matched his Christian Sharia.

It was all very disgusting and sick making.
Obviously Eric Warren, the self-indulged leader of the Saddleback Church, had his preference: John McCain.
As a forum leader he was totally subjective: creating a platform for propaganda for John McCain and a scaffold for Barack Obama.

It is difficult to understand why the campaign management of Barack Obama agreed to this forum in the Saddleback Church and the forum leader Eric Warren.
Maybe it was to get supporters among the religious Americans.

But it is a fundamental principle, and therefore the First Amendment, not to mix Church and State.
Political forums should never be inside a Church with a Reverend leading the discussion.
It is like the Mullah from the Mosque telling the politicians coming to pray how to run the country.

If we imagine a United States having as a President John McCain behind who will stand Eric Warren to control and direct him, Thomas Jefferson’s wall between Church and State will have crumbled and the Constitution needs to be rewritten in a way as it was in Afghanistan in the days the Taliban were ruling there.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the Saddleback Church, click on:
http://www.saddleback.com/flash/story.asp

To learn more about Sharia, click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia








.

We love you

Today we celebrate the 50th birthday of Louise Veronica Ciccone.
Now, many fervent and loyal blog readers may wonder who this lady is.
Louise Veronica Ciccone is better known as Madonna.
The singer, composer, author, film maker, film producer and entertainer born in Bay City, Michigan, USA but living for many years in the United Kingdom.



Madonna is the most successful female artist ever and this worldwide.

Even in the Fuso Szulc she is, together with the band Led Zeppelin, admired and enjoyed.
And that’s it.
No other artists are admired or accepted as an example or a role model.

Recently, Madonna said in an interview that the worst what could happen to her was that the audience would not love her anymore.
This confirms a diagnosis that was made of Madonna as a compulsive and obsessive attention seeker.
She is obviously an example of a person who needs love, like everybody else, but is unable to have this within the context of normal human relationships.
Deeper reasons for this in her case might be that her parents had 8 children and that obviously she had to compete with the brothers and sisters for the love of her parents.
But probably more important has been Madonna’s experience of the death of her mother.
When Madonna was 6 years old her Mom died of breast cancer.

Life is not easy for persons who are constantly looking for love and are unable to be satisfied.
But for the people they are marvellous because constantly the love-seeker tries to please the audience.



Of course a point comes that the love-seeker realises that the love that is looked for cannot be found pleasing the audience.
At the same time it is realised it can also not be found within the context of personal relationships.
Pragmatically, the choice is made to be happy with what is possible.
The only love Madonna can get is success, so that is what she goes for.

There are lots of artists who use art as a way to control their love deficit syndrome.
What makes Madonna so interesting is that on the one hand she has managed to have massive, worldwide success for many years, and on the other hand to express a message of spirituality.
Her recent CD’s all have songs with very interesting texts communicating important messages about life.
Besides an excellent musician, Madonna is also a person who thinks in a spiritual way and has reached high levels of consciousness.
To pass this knowledge and wisdom on to a general audience is a most important thing.

She may lack love and not able to receive any.
While she has given us so much.

Happy birthday, Madonna !!!

.

Peanuts for them, gold for you

Before an artist is famous, he is a beginner.
And while he is a beginner he might be noticed by art-experts as someone who might become famous.
These art-experts, in some cases, trust their intuition and buy as many works from the beginning artist as they can.
This is like an investment.
Because the idea is of course to sell these works once the artist has become famous.

While a beginner, the artist has almost no choice.
He needs to live and wants to work, so when an art-dealer comes by and wants to buy 100 works for a $ 100 each, suddenly the artist has almost enough money to cover another year.
He will work like mad, deliver the 100 works, get the $ 10.000 and secure his near future as an artist and avoid having to become a taxi driver.

Next, 20 years later, the art-dealer thinks the moment has come.
The artist has become well known.
He had exhibitions in major museums and the work was published in books.
The artist has a high reputation now: his position in the history of art is established.
The works bought for a $ 100 each are offered to the art-market for prices from $ 10.000
That is a 500 % return on an annual base the art dealer is making on his investment.
The art-dealer has to wait 20 years but when successful, an investment of $ 10.000 returns a hefty 1 million Dollars.

In Europe these methods of doing business in the art-world are accepted also.
However, the European Union has decided that the artist should share in these enormous profits that can be made.
On September 27, 2001, an addition to the European copyright law was accepted called “the artist’s resale right”.
Law 2001/84/EG.
In most European countries this law is now effective and it means that in the case as described before the artist will get 4 % of the $ 10.000 his work is sold for.

The way it goes is that an artist joins an organization that takes care for the artist of his resale rights.
In each European country are such organisations like in the U.K.
The “Design and Artists Copyright Society”.
In the Netherlands it is “Pictoright”.

They are successful: “Design and Artists Copyright Society” collected since February 2006 over 12 million $ in resale royalties for over 1500 artists.


There is no “artist’s resale right” in the USA.
All the money goes to the art-dealer.

If an art-dealer can make a profit of $ 9.900 on an investment of a $ 100, what the hell is a meagre $ 400?
What is the difference between making $ 9.900 or $ 9.500?

But for the artist this $ 400 is important.
First of all as recognition of his talent, his devotion, his insistence, his passion and his choices in life.
Second, the money helps the artist to live and possibly to make more new work that will be a valuable addition to the history of art.

But in many cases recognition of an artist comes very late in his life.
Usually the artist has no savings or a pension because this was impossible to finance when selling the works for $ 100.
All the money went to food, brushes and paint.
Without savings or a pension, he could live his old days in poverty and misery while his works sell for incredible prices.
Art-dealers making fortunes while the artist can’t live decently his older days.

There is much to say for this “Artist’s resale right”.
To have it as a law in the USA as well.
It is peanuts for the sellers while gold for the artists.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the “Design and Artists Copyright Society” and "Pictoright", click on:

http://www.dacs.org.uk/index.php?m=7

http://www.pictoright.nl/index.html







.

She needs attention.

One after the other tropical depression develops south of Baja California in Mexico and moves to the northwest.
Until now diverting to the west ending in the vast Pacific Ocean hurting nobody.
But more and more, now that the ocean water warms up near the location where the Fuso Szulc is parked, the tropical depressions move more to the north than to the west.
Tropical depressions come with lots of rain and wind.
But they can develop in hurricanes and in that case it is devastation, tragedy and destruction.

Now tropical depression “Iselle” is on her way and moving more to the northwest than any other before this year.



The process of these tropical depressions trying to reach the Fuso Szulc will go on for the next two months and the situation will become more and more dangerous here as the ocean heats up.

This has inspired to decide to go to the USA soon.

The Fuso Szulc has a problem with its springs and this could be fixed by a company called Deaver Springs Mfg. Company in Santa Ana, California, USA.
Sooner or later this problem must be solved and now seems to be a good time.

The origin of the problems with the springs of the Fuso Szulc lies in the fact of how the camper box was build.
Santek Trailers has put many heavy things on one side only.
It is the driver’s side where we find the two large truck batteries, the fridge, the kitchen counter, most of the inside storage areas and worse of all, the 6 large batteries for the solar system.
This means that much more weight is on the left side of the Fuso truck than on the right side.
In the beginning nothing could be noticed but by now the springs on the left side are worn out.
When the Fuso Szulc is parked on a flat space, the camper box hangs down to the left.

Friend Douglas Hackney, who also has a Fuso expedition vehicle currently roaming South America, had some good advices and the connection to Deaver Spring Mfg. Company.
Doug explained that what should be done is to go to scales.
And figure out precisely how many pounds each wheel of the Fuso Szulc is carrying.
This by manoeuvring the Fuso Szulc with one wheel on the scales at a time.
Next, so Doug explains, it must be calculated how a specific set of springs must be enforced with an extra one.
Doug’s Fuso went through this process performed by Deaver Spring Mfg. Company and the Fuso Szulc must undergo the same treatment.

This is an expert job unavailable in Baja California, Mexico.

Besides the springs-job, the Fuso Szulc needs its servicing by Kearny Mesa Truck Centre in San Diego, USA.
Change of the oils and filters and all those things a truck needs to stay in shape.

And change of the XM-radio satellite antennas.

When in the USA, the hurricanes meanwhile in Mexico can batter as much as they like.




.

Spirals can also go upwards.

While in retreat at “Estero del Tomate” in Baja California, Mexico where focusing on creating new conceptual images, there is also time to read a book.
This is a privilege because when travelling in Europe and elsewhere, usually life is so complex and hectic that there is no time to even read the Herald Tribune newspaper.

But being in a peaceful place in harmony without any obligations whatsoever and time available books can be read.
In such a situation a good book can have a deep impact.
Because it is experienced without any distraction.
The reader gets completely into the story and as a consequence the emotions and feelings are highly influenced.

These days a feeling of defeatism dominates.
Responsible are two books that have been read over the last week.

“The beautiful and damned” by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

And “Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq.

Michel Houellebecq.

Very interesting books but telling tragic stories making one loose hope for humanity.

“The beautiful and damned” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the story of Anthony Patch and his wife Gloria.
Harvard-educated and an aspiring aesthete, Patch is waiting for his 30 million $ inheritance upon his grandfather’s death.
His reckless marriage to Gloria is fuelled by alcohol and is destroyed by greed.
The Patches race through a series of alcohol-induced fiascos.
First in hilarity, and then in despair.
The book “The beautiful and damned” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a devastating and shocking portrait of the nouveaux riches in New York in the 1920’s.
How materialism and wealth can result in destructive decadence, nihilism and evaporate ethical and moral values.
It is tragic to read about the downfall and destruction of the protagonists in this book.
Because it is realized that the story is exemplary for many more people.

F. Scott Fitzgerald himself to begin with.
This makes the book so strong because much of what is described comes from his own life.

“Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq is the story of two half-brothers.
The book covers their lives from the 1960’s on and in fact describes what has become of our society.
How we became more and more materialistic.
How we lost religion, the values of morality and century old traditions.
How we got into selfishness and narcissism ruining the fine social structures of the society that used to exist.
“Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq is also very much about how sexuality became for many people a way of extreme efforts to obtain satisfaction.
The conclusion is of course that all this materialism, loss of morality and practicing extreme sex make people not happy at all.
In “Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq too many protagonists die in tragic ways.

Both books are depressing.
Mainly because the two authors have a very negative way of looking at reality.
This is effective to have an impressive book as a result because so much drama can be offered.

But both books present a one sided view of society.
And this knowledge must be kept in mind constantly while reading those books to avoid sliding into a deep depression.
To avoid to think that we as humanity are lost and have no future.

Maybe this is so.
Maybe F. Scott Fitzgerald and Michel Houellebecq are right.
Maybe as humanity we are in a deadly downwards spiral.
But if this is so, the personal and individual life can be lived in an opposite way.
Spirals can also go upwards.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the book "Elementary particles" by Michel Houellebecq, click on:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hcs.harvard.edu/~hbr/issues/spring06/images/houellebecq.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~hbr/issues/spring06/articles/houellebecq.shtml&h=2838&w=2128&sz=646&tbnid=3UiGzHUtfdoJ::&tbnh=150&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmichel%2Bhouellebecq%2Bimage&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&cd=1


To learn more about the book "The beautiful and damned" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, click on:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Af8IE-KGUkQC&dq=F.+Scott+Fitzgerald+the+beautiful+and+damned&pg=PP1&ots=pEEhDET3Hy&sig=4XGDX3yM4uCxaFFaup_Kr3uuwKQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result






.

nautically neurotic

A few postings ago it was explained that at the current location, next to the Pacific Ocean in the south of the peninsula Baja California in Mexico, no boat ever could be spotted sailing by.

Writing this down was like confirming officially a fact concluded in the consciousness.

Many times each day the ocean comes into the view.
Like while writing on the computer: from the wide window of the Fuso Szulc most of the Pacific Ocean can be seen.
And now, that it is official, each time when seeing the Pacific Ocean, the thought comes to mind that no boat can be seen.



But another thought connects to it.
Unwanted and undesired but it is there every time.
It is the thought that maybe this time it will be different.
That magically or accidentally and by surprise a boat happens to pass by anyway and in spite of everything.
It is even imagined how the response will be: a high jump in the air.
A loud scream of victory, relief and exaltation:

A BOAT !!! A BOAT !!!

And immediately a run for the camera to photograph the sign of nautical life, as it would be a good subject for the next day posting.
To be able to report to the fervent and loyal readers that never a boat passes by except this time.

This conclusion no boat traffic can be seen from here has resulted in an almost Robinson Crusoë obsession.
Or Tom Hanks’ in the film “Cast away”.
The strong desire to want to see a boat.



If once in a while a boat would pass by, there would be peace and harmony.
Nothing to think about.
A simple, logic and natural fact.
Look, a boat!
OK, a boat.
One of the boats that pass by.

But never ever a boat is unacceptable.
Frustrating.
Unbearable.

Can’t someone not sail by, please?
Just to break this obsession...
Thank you.




.








.

Echoes of a genius

Driving dirt roads in a big and heavy vehicle like the Fuso Szulc is a straining affair for truck and driver.
There are some ways to make it lighter.
One is to close the windows and turn on the air conditioning.
This limits the noise, dust and heat.
The driver is physically more comfortable.

The other way to make it a more pleasant experience is to play some good music on the radio-CD player.
This diverts the thinking from imagining things that may go wrong.
The driver is mentally more comfortable.

Fourteen days ago the Fuso Szulc returned to the lagoon called “Estero del Tomate” and that was almost two hours on a very bad dirt road.
But it was together with Jimi Hendrix.



On October 16, 1968 an album was released by a band called “The Jimi Hendrix Experience” titled “Electric Ladyland”.
It was the third and last album of this band.
In September 1970 Jimi Hendrix died in London, U.K. of asphyxiation in his own vomit, mainly red wine, in the apartment of his Swedish girlfriend Monika Dannemann.

What makes the music of Jimi Hendrix so interesting is that besides the easy songs, made to have a hit and money, he liked to experiment.
He was fascinated by the electric guitar and what sounds could come out of it.
Hendrix was the first to develop the technique of guitar feedback and overdriven amplifiers.
For this he had for example tracks on “Electric Ladyland” recorded 43 times before he was satisfied with the result.

Remarkable was also that he liked to be surrounded by friends and get them involved.
During the time in New York working on “Electric Ladyland” he invited to the studio friends like Dave Mason, Chris Wood, Steve Winwood and Jack Casady who all collaborated to make “Electric Ladyland” one of the best rock albums ever made.

The strongest point of Hendrix was that he went beyond being a rock and roll musician.
A lot of what one hears on “Electric Ladyland” is not songs as we expect them from a rock album.
They are sounds, creating a specific atmosphere.
No rhythm, no text: just echoes of a genius.

If somebody has listened carefully to Jimi Hendrix and the way he played the electric guitar, one will come to a surprising conclusion.
The guitar solos during his life were new and innovative.
And as of then, in rock and roll music, all guitar solos are a second hand imitation of Jimi Hendrix.
Except for Robert Fripp of course.

This is a specific aspect of people who have experienced the 60’s and 70’s.
In those days in the arts so much was created and produced that was original, innovative and progressive.
So much was truly new.
As of then, in the arts, especially music, it is imitating, repeating and copying of what was created in the 60’s and 70’s.

Jimi Hendrix and his music are representatives of a time when a revolution took place.
In all kinds of fields of the society monuments tumbled down and new towers were build.
These new towers have become the monuments of today.
To tumble too eventually, but for the moment they are still too strong.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the album "Electric Ladyland" of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Ladyland

To learn more about Jimi Hendrix himself, click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix

To learn more about the guitarist Robert Fripp, click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Fripp









.

No more water

The mornings are beautiful.
Bright sunshine and a cool breeze from the ocean.

But in the afternoon thunderstorms develop above the Sierra de Laguna mountain range in the east.
These thunderstorms are like vertical cloud columns growing rapidly into enormous mushrooms as if an atomic bomb has exploded.



Sometimes the thunder can be heard.
And it happens that the flashes can be seen.
Occasionally the clouds even come to cover the “Estero del Tomate” and a few drops of rain fall on the Fuso Szulc.

This is nothing serious.
Compared to when a hurricane comes to devastate the land and its inhabitants with high-speed winds and biblical rainfall.

As a matter of fact, the people living here on the peninsula Baja California in Mexico, are hoping that a hurricane will come soon.
This has to do with the water shortage they are suffering of these days.
All the public reservoirs are empty and the people have been advised by the local Government to use water only as little as possible.

One good hurricane though and the public reservoirs will be filled nicely.

There is a hurricane around these days.
Called “Hernan”.
But it moved to the west and is blowing winds of 90 mph (144 km) and dumping rain above the Pacific Ocean.



Two more depressions are in the south that may develop into hurricanes.
But they are not likely to come this way.
They are also moving to the west.

This is because the ocean around Baja California is still too cool to serve as a surface to the hurricane to move northwest.
As this is what a hurricane needs: warm ocean water.

There is nothing to be worried or to be surprised about.
Officially the hurricane season starts august 15.
It is going to take some weeks before a hurricane will be able to dump its water into the public reservoirs.
And people can take a shower again.






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Out, Johnny, out.

One of the most interesting contemporary authors is the Frenchman Michel Houellebecq.

In his book “Les particules élémentaires” (Elementary particles) he writes that pure morality is unique and universal.
Pure morality never changes nor is anything added to it.
It is not dependent of any historical, economic, sociologic or cultural factor.
Pure morality is not created but creates itself.
There are no conditions to it: it makes its conditions itself.
In short: it is an absolute value.

The volume and quality of the morality in a society decides the happiness and lasting of that society.
This quality and purity of the morality is decided by the way the members of that society decide and choose to live.

Every individual has a choice how pure the morality is in life.
This is constantly a private choice and responsibility.
However, if morality is allowed to be clouded by cynicism and selfishness and by limiting or eliminating consciousness, the whole of society suffers of the consequences of that choice and performance of that particular member of society.

Concerning pure morality, public figures have an even higher responsibility.
They are examples and role models.
They can inspire the population to be more pure in their morality in order to have a more happy society.
Or they can be a bad example dragging down the general level of the purity of morality.

Besides, they have important responsibilities to make decisions concerning the population.
And all these decisions are based on morality.
The more pure the morality, the more honest and democratic and humane decisions by politicians will be.

Many fervent and loyal blog readers understand we are on our way to meet John Edwards again.

He has been the subject of a posting on this blog on April 27, 2007.

Titled:

“No, Johnny, no”.

In this posting John Edwards was called a “psychopathic personality”.
And this has become truer than ever.
In fact he has admitted himself now to the diagnosis made last year.
John Edwards said two days ago:

“I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic.”

Anybody is free to do in the private life what one wishes to do.
All the possible consequences are for that person and the ones life is shared with.

Hence, John Edwards has to work out with his wife and family his extramarital affair with Miss Rielle Hunter.
It is not of our business.

But as a public figure, as a politician who was presenting himself as a candidate to become President of the United States or else Vice-President, you cannot publicly be as dishonest as he decided to be.
That is totally unacceptable.

Another issue is that Miss Rielle Hunter was paid over a $ 100.000 to make some YouTube videos for John Edwards.
That obviously was favouritism and nepotism and this with money donated by trustful supporters to his election campaign.

Last thing is Mrs. Edwards.
As of 2006 she knew of her husband’s conduct.
He told her and she forgave him, so they claim.
Since that time John Edwards has been publicly lying about his marital affaire.
Denying it.
Telling it was not true.
While at home Elizabeth Edwards was seeing him lying on TV and doing nothing about that.
She became a partner in lying.

There is one important instrument in a society that guards the purity of politicians.
That is the press.
And we must applaud the “National Enquirer” for having cleaned the American political landscape of a person who should not be present there.
But this we knew already in April 2007.

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To read again the posting "No, Johnny, no" about John Edwards published in April 2007, click on:

http://michelszulckrzyzanowski.blogspot.com/2007/04/no-johnny-no.html

To learn more about the author Michel Houellebecq, click on:

http://books.google.com/books?id=3SuPG9xA9EYC&dq=inauthor:Michel+inauthor:Houellebecq&pgis=1







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