Thursday, January 3, 2013
Regarding the Newtown, CT shooting:
This blog tries to set the record straight and clear up misunderstandings and fear regarding Autism:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/12/age-of-autism-fox-news-siegel-implicates-aspergers.html
Here's something I posted on Facebook after the shooting though I think what I posted may have been taken the wrong way (which I'm sort of used to). It wasn't to belittle the recent school shootings but to give perspective for people who are now afraid to send their kids to school. I can't even talk since after 9-11 I was one of those who was afraid to get on a plane, cross a high profile bridge or tunnel or do other things despite the statistical odds still being in favor of my safety...
"While this may not be much help for someone who just lost a child, but to those who worry about their own and sending them to school in Americ, it still seems safer than ever. 100+ years ago it seems almost every household of size lost at least one child. Both my grandmothers lost 3. There was TB, Polio, Lockjaw, Smallpox, and other things that are rare today. There was also threats of war, ...air raids, and natural disasters which were harder to predict. Here in Northeast PA alone the reported death toll from coal mine accidents was 30,000-40,000 (I'm not exaggerating-look it up.) my great-grandfather, being part of that statistic. Many were just dumped on their front porch and left for their wide and kids to find. Almost as many people as Wilkes-Barre's present day population. Some of those were breaker boys and most of the rest were breadwinners for their families. While America may still be rather violent for a first world country, in the third world there is still constant war, starvation, genocides and disease putting school kids in danger. In countries with poor construction, its not unheard of for earthquakes, storms, or warfare to take thousands of lives at a time. Girls in some countries, and in this country kids used to get pulled out of school to work dangerous jobs of all types. Today the thing is the communications and media are getting better and quicker and when things happen in the first world we notice more. True there were no school shootings in medieval times or in Ancient Rome, but there were even worse things that would put the most jaded modern people in shock. I mean violence should never be tolerated in any form or level but we can rest assured we are better off in most ways than in so called "simpler times". I'd rather be a kid or be raising kids now and in the first world then 300 years ago."
http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/12/age-of-autism-fox-news-siegel-implicates-aspergers.html
Here's something I posted on Facebook after the shooting though I think what I posted may have been taken the wrong way (which I'm sort of used to). It wasn't to belittle the recent school shootings but to give perspective for people who are now afraid to send their kids to school. I can't even talk since after 9-11 I was one of those who was afraid to get on a plane, cross a high profile bridge or tunnel or do other things despite the statistical odds still being in favor of my safety...
"While this may not be much help for someone who just lost a child, but to those who worry about their own and sending them to school in Americ, it still seems safer than ever. 100+ years ago it seems almost every household of size lost at least one child. Both my grandmothers lost 3. There was TB, Polio, Lockjaw, Smallpox, and other things that are rare today. There was also threats of war, ...air raids, and natural disasters which were harder to predict. Here in Northeast PA alone the reported death toll from coal mine accidents was 30,000-40,000 (I'm not exaggerating-look it up.) my great-grandfather, being part of that statistic. Many were just dumped on their front porch and left for their wide and kids to find. Almost as many people as Wilkes-Barre's present day population. Some of those were breaker boys and most of the rest were breadwinners for their families. While America may still be rather violent for a first world country, in the third world there is still constant war, starvation, genocides and disease putting school kids in danger. In countries with poor construction, its not unheard of for earthquakes, storms, or warfare to take thousands of lives at a time. Girls in some countries, and in this country kids used to get pulled out of school to work dangerous jobs of all types. Today the thing is the communications and media are getting better and quicker and when things happen in the first world we notice more. True there were no school shootings in medieval times or in Ancient Rome, but there were even worse things that would put the most jaded modern people in shock. I mean violence should never be tolerated in any form or level but we can rest assured we are better off in most ways than in so called "simpler times". I'd rather be a kid or be raising kids now and in the first world then 300 years ago."
Reflections on December 21, 2012 silliness:
Oh no! 12-21-12 has long passed and no Aliens from other galaxies came to attack us...too bad. Given how divided and intolerant the world can be there is one thing that can unite us all instantly; an alien attack. We would have a new and convenient scapegoat, a new enemy and forget our differences at least temporarily...until the space creatures prove that not all of them are evil either then things might get complicated again.
Happy 2013!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
America moves on...
I just took the dog for a walk. One thing I like about nature is it's neutrality. No matter what politics goes on between the people nature just goes on. (Yes there are environmental issues but that's beside the point) Overall, the morning after elections everything looks the same.
I have lived through six presidencies both R and D (I was too young to remember Carter) and who knows how many balance of power combinations. I mean there are wars and economic ups and downs so I'm not implying there are not differences in candidates or that the differences are not important, but from a world and historical perspective they are not as major as political pundits want us to think. The US has a decent system of checks and balances and while the pendulum can swing back and forth things seem to even out in the long run. Sure I'd like my preferred candidate to win(sometimes they do sometimes they don't), but I try not to either lose sleep or become smug whatever the result. Whoever gets in power the other party will predict the apocalypse, totalitarianism, conspiracy theories, and use them as scapegoats. I think every American president was speculated as being the Antichrist or part of some "New World Order" but we all survive. Also people on their side like to think that we will wake up and they will solve every problem, end our problems from war and poverty to acne to constipation yet a president is not an omnipotent monarch and even monarchs aren't omnipotent. Barring the end of the world which no one can stop, life will go on. Now if Stalin or Hitler were running and had a good chance then we can be nervous but still... Ask many Pennsylvanians if their life was better under Casey or Ridge and they'd be like (When were they governor?) My point is that there are many things that affect our daily lives besides which politicians are in power.
I have lived through six presidencies both R and D (I was too young to remember Carter) and who knows how many balance of power combinations. I mean there are wars and economic ups and downs so I'm not implying there are not differences in candidates or that the differences are not important, but from a world and historical perspective they are not as major as political pundits want us to think. The US has a decent system of checks and balances and while the pendulum can swing back and forth things seem to even out in the long run. Sure I'd like my preferred candidate to win(sometimes they do sometimes they don't), but I try not to either lose sleep or become smug whatever the result. Whoever gets in power the other party will predict the apocalypse, totalitarianism, conspiracy theories, and use them as scapegoats. I think every American president was speculated as being the Antichrist or part of some "New World Order" but we all survive. Also people on their side like to think that we will wake up and they will solve every problem, end our problems from war and poverty to acne to constipation yet a president is not an omnipotent monarch and even monarchs aren't omnipotent. Barring the end of the world which no one can stop, life will go on. Now if Stalin or Hitler were running and had a good chance then we can be nervous but still... Ask many Pennsylvanians if their life was better under Casey or Ridge and they'd be like (When were they governor?) My point is that there are many things that affect our daily lives besides which politicians are in power.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
OK here's the banana tree:
This is from a few weeks ago. It is now a little taller, but disheveled from high winds.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Bananas in Pennsylvania?
Not quite, but you can grow the plant and after dying back in the winter, this particular variety will come back. The one in my yard is a Japanese Fiber Banana. It is native to China actually. You can also grow some varieties of cactus, yucca, citrus, and more in our cold USDA Zone 6b climate. Here is a native cactus growing for about 4 or 5 years in this small hanging basket. I love the silhouette that it makes. 
I'm back...
In case there is a soul out there still following my blog... I'm still here. I've used this blog in doing presentations and found a few mistakes and broken links. If anyone notices any please let me know somehow. This summer has been busy. My only vacation was a one night day trip to a BBQ in Jersey. I have a large yard and a lot of work to keep up with it. Summer here in northeast PA tends to be pleasant but brief. As much as I despise the winter I do tend to be more contemplative during foul weather. I still have a lot to say but just need the time to get my thoughts together.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Dusting off the cobwebs...
I think in a previous post I warned this would happen. It is almost two months since my last post and more like three since my last regular postings. Back in the winter I'd have several posts a day but now the weather is nice and I can't get myself away from the back yard. Some of this inconsistency is actually appropriate for a blog like this. This is a blog mainly on Autism/Aspergers and narrow, intense yet sometimes inconsistent interests can be part of it. Feel free to look at my past posts which have dates and maybe times on them. Many of them such as this post are from late night or the wee hours of the morning. Actually on some tasks that require thinking, creativity or concentration I do best at this time of day.
And yes... I do love to garden. I will try to post some photos in time. I have some unusual stuff including citrus and banana trees growing in Pennsylvania... sort of... More on that later.
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