Poem by Wendell Berry: The Peace of Wild Things

The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Still Supporting Ron Paul

Today is the Ron Paul campaign-starting Money Bomb. I already contributed. Even though many people do not take him seriously, any opportunity to get his ideas better represented in the public discourse is beneficial to the Republic. I ride the line between left and right. If the two ever should meet we would have a new middle position, different from the existing one that has sold out.

Here's where you too can give $20.12 or more to keep the debate going:
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/

( ruminations )

Which sunscreen do you use and why?

I haven't used sunscreen since I moved to Oregon. Here, the sun feels weak to me. I also haven't had a sunburn since I moved here, though a few times my shoulders or nose has got pink. In Arizona I used to wear sunscreen but gradually transitioned over to using long sleeves, long pants, and a big hat. I would put sunscreen on my lower face, nose, ears, neck, and the backs of my hands and tops of my feet. Here I still favor a hat and sleeves: the lotions always felt gross to me. The ones that didn't feel gross washed off too easy (kayaking) and didn't do any good. So that's my take on sunscreen. Not highly educated---I didn't even really dig into the site linked below I have a few types around the house and I'm afraid to look them up and see how carcinogenic they are. I know some of the chemicals used aren't great. I've heard that the zinc-containing kinds are most effective and least dangerous.

Sunscreen picker:
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/?inlist=Y&utm_source=2011sunscreenfull&utm_medium=email&utm_content=image&utm_campaign=toxics

Trip Report: The Upper Wind

The level at the high bridge putin was 5.32. That's medium, or maybe medium-high. It was just right. The group was 10 kayakers including Joey, Craig and Michael that I've paddled with before. Several of the group were men who'd been in the "fast group" on Opal yesterday, or were just plain old new. Ken, Ben who works at Nike, Bradley, etc. I rode with and followed Bruce. Joey instructed both Craig and I to follow him, and when I told him that on the ride up it got him going. He's a cell biologist at age 60 with an illustrious career that discovered (with others of course) kinesin which is this very cool little walking protein that goes up a track inside our neurons. Axonal transport. He was interesting to follow on the river, reminded me somewhat of Dick with the way he would give instructions and then set out to lead. He wasn't easy to follow, either. I could never tell what he was going to do next, and he would paddle really hard to make difficult moves. One thing is for sure, if you start your beginners out following him, they will get to be better boaters fast. After a while I learned to hang back and see generally what channel he was headed down, and then read the close up water for myself. I cut a lot of corners and took one tenth as many strokes, and enjoyed it more. Funny how different people's river styles can be. I guess I'm lazy.
( about the river and more random train of consciousness )

On the history of Gay Pride, the Bible as pertains to homosexuality, and lots more

Here's a nice post by Bill Sheehan on American culture, and how it is shifting.
http://bill-sheehan.livejournal.com/221299.html?view=608371#t608371