Today you managed Tomorrow you’ll fail Each loss another fragment forever pushed aside. The day after becomes A monotonous stream Each day is just like the last just a bit more purified.
Sometimes it’s easy Falling off a log Then all confidence disappears and your unable to move. I know I don’t know Is somebody watching? Surrounded by a quicksand of doubt and nothing to prove.
When everything disappears Even sacred memories hide underground. Lost, frozen in a searing panic Where Simple Things can’t be found.
This is the last time As much as the first Open or close your eyes but the vision is the same. It’s only in my head It’s only in my head I love you like a brother but won’t remember your name.
When everything disappears Even sacred memories hide underground. Lost, frozen in a searing panic Where Simple Things can’t be found.
I posted thoughts much earlier about Super Black Holes, and have waited for the launch of the James Webb telescope for a pretty long time. Hubble showed us amazing things. Many confirming Einstein’s theories. It forced us to see our universe is expanding rapidly, rather than slowing as expected, in all directions at the same time. Constellations, star clusters, galaxies and eventually suns and their planets will grow further and further apart. The stars and galaxies we see now will not be visible from Earth in just a few eons. (and they were so much closer eons ago) This will never end – speeding away – light constantly retreating. Our universe will get darker and darker, all matter – including black holes, will burn out or blow up, until there is no energy – anywhere.
But if my earlier theory has any merit, this might not be the end. In short, I suggested we are NOW in a black hole. With no proof whatsoever (#noproofwhatsoever) I suggested dark matter and dark energy are converted from regular matter when sucked inside a black hole. This is why our universe continues to expand. Literally everything we see or can detect is matter jettisoned through the Event Horizon with nothing to slow it down. One big sneeze from each black hole. Countless more black holes created as material is ejected – or pushed into a separate universe……?
I love science fiction and can recommend a few books almost as old as I am. I would love to write a novel on this subject but the next step is to think that OUR universe is expanding and will eventually die, but if intelligent life can manage to cross back through the Event Horizon, through the other side of a black hole, we may find a totally different universe that is quite stable or just plain weird. Who knows!
I suggest we can become that intelligent life.
PS I hope the new attempts to recreate the genius of “Dune” and “The Foundation” live up to the hype. These are treasured ideals for me, not just books on a shelf lol!
Thank you for listening.
My wife Ellen and I giving our grand kids a glow stick show in a dark roomCollision of Star Clusters of glow sticksglow stick Nebula
The pictures remind me of other visual games we would play and eventually showed our grandkids, but that is a different post.
The Same People thought the Earth was flat And the Crusades were just. These same people thought the stars were gods Turning cities to dust.
The same people believed the Earth was the center Against which everything turned. These same people held trials to justify Witches tied and burned.
These same people pray to ghosts and spirits Listen to voices in their head. The same people imprisoned men of science Until not only the truth was dead.
The Same People Are Wrong Just as they were back then. How can you keep being wrong Again and again and again?
You are wrong about Global Warming The true existential threat. You are wrong about your part in racism Or the petty things you fret.
You are wrong about the age of the universe You are wrong about evolution no matter how true These Same People believe they deserve what they have Even when taking it from those that don’t look like they you. You are wrong blaming fake media Because it doesn’t agree with what you do Wrong about immigrants searching for a peaceful land. You are wrong about pollution and the things humans do. If you can’t win simply change the rules Repeating the same lies never makes them true. Patriots love their country win or lose The same people are wrong about sex, drugs, and Rock ‘N Roll too.
Out for a ride yesterday and they are almost finished. This will be a great resource for decades to come. I believe the mayor of Cincinnati will be on-hand to officially open the new section of the Wasson Way Trails tomorrow.
Almost there!
Black top being laid
The completed portion of Wasson Way path
Workers finishing the sidewalk and entrance
Even though I took a sneak peak and ride before the path was officially opened I can’t wait. Only a small section will be needed to connect to other bike and walking trails in the city.
This is the next section connecting the Ault Park trails
Bicycle riding is something I have loved since being a kid. I get exercise, fresh air, new scenery and a little bit of escape all wrapped into one. Recently cities in Ohio and other states have purchased unused train rights of way and turning them into bike and walking paths or trails. This is perfect because the train tracks are fairly level, the perfect width, and they go through neighborhoods that are rarely connected any other way.
Case in point is the latest addition of the CROWNsection of the pathways including Wasson Way. When I-71 was built around 1966 to 1975 it split Cincinnati in drastic and unfortunate ways like every other town. Once built, many neighborhoods were completely severed from each other and in some cases from the business districts they created. This is a point in history for me as my family was renting a house on a street that was demolished and we had to move for them to build I-71. The neighborhoods I used to ride through with my friends were no longer accessible to a kid on a bike.
Strollers enjoying the Marburg Avenue section of Wasson Way
Anyway, they are about to extend that section next week so the Wasson Way path connects to one of my favorite local parks of all time! I have shared many pictures of Ault Park here and it is still a lovely place to see. When this section is completed I will be able to take bike trails (including on-road lanes) from my house all the way to Ault Park. The big plan is to have various trails in Ohio that will take you from the southernmost point in Ohio near the Ohio River all the way to Cleveland at some point in the not too distant future.
I took some pictures of the progress made to the unfinished section so you have an idea of the work they are putting into this.
Existing trail on Wasson Road
New section connecting to Ault Park
Erie Avenue overpass
They are almost ready to open new section!
Truck pouring another cement foundation for drainage
They will start planting trees along the current paths next week. As old as I am it is still nice to get out and take a ride through familiar neighborhoods like I did when much younger. It is satisfying to see the city I have lived in for almost ever finally embracing these outdoor activities and unique neighborhoods long cut off from each other.
It is easy to blame the media for everything. Go ahead and try, it’s simple. My current beef has nothing to do with fake news, but irritates me just as much.
Once a catchy sound bite is written it is carried by every outlet and repeater station no matter how misleading it is.
Which brings me to the coverage of the Delta variation of Covid-19.
The general news line goes something close to this:
“The Delta variant is ripping across the country….
The country is ravaged by the Delta infections…
Over 95% of new infections are caused by the Delta virus… “, and on and on.
This intentionally gives the listener the wrong impression altogether. The Delta variation is not causing hospitalizations and death in the US……
People that are eligible but not getting vaccinated are causing the increase in hospitalizations and death in the USA.
Quit saying it is because of Delta. The vaccines work for the original strain and this one too. All we have to do (if eligible) is get vaccinated. That’s all.
In fact, it might be tempting to blame the unvaccinated for allowing this and next variation to take hold in this country.
As a musician I look at time a bit differently than others might. I am reminded of this when I see movies or videos of people working out and doing exercises. Even the simple ‘count to ten’ is often a reminder that most people don’t count time correctly.
It is easy to count ten items – you start at 1 (one) and stop when you get to 10 (ten). To sound it out aloud counting ten items would go like this…….
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. You do indeed have ten items.
But counting time is different. A second is not a single point in time but a defined length of time. If you followed the above approach you would end up with 9 full seconds as shown below. (if tied to a metronome or equivalent)
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10.
Use the dashes to represent the full length of each second. Total them up and you end up with only 9 full seconds, not 10. There are easy ways to break this habit.
Start with the number 0 (zero) when counting time. This will give us 0 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10.
Now, when you total the dashes you get ten full seconds. A lot of people count faster when counting up, and but more accurately when counting down. Like a rocket launch or New Year’s celebrations, this steady rhythm has been in our culture for a long time. Try it.
For items start with the number 1, but for time, start or end with the number 0. Each second, minute or hour lies in between each pair of numbers, not within the number itself.
Just a quick observation for anyone interested. I have a couple bird feeders in my yard. It has taken us a while to develop a system that allows birds easy access while making it extremely difficult for squirrels to get to the feeders. (Watch my video for kicks if you have a minute.)
We normally use thistle in one feeder and a combination of mixed seeds in the other. They all seem to wait in turn to get to the feeders depending on species and social structures. They usually wait on near-by branches for the next open slot.
The other morning I was finished with my breakfast and took some of the dry cereal and put some in a small votive-style candle holder we have attached to the back porch railing. After a few minutes the birds found the cereal. At first a couple, then a few minutes later a bunch came to get this new bird feed. But it was not like normal. It was like they could not wait for their turn after having the first sample. Even the small birds would try to shove the others away from the candle holder.
It was a crazy feeding frenzy. Now I am not sure about the cost comparison, but when I want to give the birds a treat I KNOW that a little bit of Post Grape Nuts cereal in the feeders will liven things up real quick. Try it. But make sure the squirrels and deer can’t get to it first!
