As a Registered Landscape Architect (in Minnesota), and a member of the American Institute of Architects, I am dismayed by the misuse of the word "Architect" to describe the Psychologists who developed the Bush torture program.
'Architect' is a legally protected title and practice by most states, and therefore only proper to describe a licensed professional who is responsible for the public's, health, safety and welfare in the creation of the built environment. The individuals in this story are Psychologists (a licensed health care profession), not Architects. Architects also do not design computers nor software.
Can you please advise the editors and writers at the New York Times to stop mis-using 'Architect' to describe individuals who are not licensed or trained as such?
Yeah...aside from Buenos Aires, which I hear is lovely, or Curitiba, which is like the Brazilian version of Portland, I wouldn't want to move down there either. As I'm currently in the American version of Portland - Portland - I think I might just stay.
just went to the market (west side) with the missus and picked up some mid week/mid summer specials. The house is filled with strawberries and cantelope. We also sat at the back of the market and ate falafel... good fun
DubK, interview was yesterday. It went pretty well, but they're interviewing people all through next week and won't be able to make a decision for a little bit. But the interviewer liked my work and we have a good conversation about the firm's market position, which is where I think I'll stand out from the crowd. Hopefully they'll realize that training me will take about 1/50th the time of training anyone not familiar with the industry.
Been hanging out in Southern California with my family for a little bit. Every time I come back here, I remember how quickly I tire of the relentless sun. I remember as a kid I literally, truly prayed for rain. Or a cloud. Or even some dew in the morning. Course that was back in the drought years, but still.
My mother claims that it stays green here all year long. Not so. This is selective memory. It is green for approx. 3 1/2 weeks, beginning 2nd week of March (when the annual 2 weeks of solid rain begin) and ending first week of April. (I hear this year has seen slightly more but still...)
Anyhow, I never understand it when people say "how you could live in Chicago with all that snooooow???" (horror of horrors) but, just the same, I never understand it when people say "how could you live in California with all those earthquakes???" either.
When it is not green in southern CA, it is brown. Everywhere you look, it seems like the sun has leached color out of the world. Not so very different from the look of Chicago in winter, except for the palm trees / white blanket...
Sun fatigue aside, I do enjoy it here, and spent a very lovely day in LA puttering around looking at stuff. There are so many fabulous buildings in LA. It is indeed underrated as an architectural destination. We were also amazed by the (new??) carpool lane - train dropoff points for the train system -- on the 110 -- but we couldn't figure out how they get used. Anyone ever use them?
manta, your thoughts on the relentless sun and scorched earth of SoCal are part of the reason I couldn't hack it. It was just so dry. I guess I took for granted how much I needed moisture. And they are only getting less and less water, not more. It scares me what will happen when the water truly runs low.
And in answer to your question about the stops in the HOV 110 lanes, those are for buses only, not for the train. The Metro Blue Line runs south parallel to the highway but never on it, and it crosses paths with it once, I believe. The buses run express routes along the 110 and the stops are accessible from stations underneath with gigantic stairways up to the deck of the highway. It's an OK bus line but intimidating standing there in the middle of the highway, for sure, and I never felt safe going to the stations by myself in the daylight, let alone at night when I really needed those lines.
Speaking of buses, and the sun, these people could really benefit from a city that cared enough about public transportation to give them a proper bus shelter. (Maybe lb could design them one?!!) This photo was taken on a hot day last summer at one of Downtown LA's busiest bus corners. Ugh.
sun fatigue?!? manta, don't take this the wrong way, but... go f*ck yourself!
we'd had like 80 days of sunshine this summer, but the last few days of cool air, turning leaves and 1/2" of rain have me confronting another winter of deep, dark depression.
actually, it's just as brown here. our neighborhood started to smell like dog piss before the recent rains.
In all seriousness though, and I'm not trying to be a horrible person, but the sun was so intense in Hawaii that I was scared to go out some days. Is there an absolutely perfect place on earth where the sun isn't too unrelenting, and it rains enough, but the humidity isn't so bad that allergies kill you half the year, and it doesn't get cold enough to freeze your garden? Perhaps. But I bet the land cost so much $$$ that we're all better off enjoying what we have, when we have it. I mean, look at these guys for god's sake...135 miles of running in 130-degree heat? Maybe the rest of us are just really wimpy!
come now, holz, no reason to tell me off! I no longer live in southern california and the number 2 reason was the weather. Sorry you are in a grey place; that is the same reason I have trouble contemplating living in the NW. It would be depressing for me as well.
Yes, wk -- it's amazing. It has always struck me how many californians simply don't seem to understand the need for shade / solar relief. "How could the weather not be 100% positive?" seems to be the prevailing attitude. (Of course--a generalization, I realize, but seemingly shared by those in power.) I have had this secret belief that because so many southern californians are transplants, who often specifically moved there for the weather, they are blinded to any possibility that it could have negative side effects. People would stare at me when I complained of headaches from the intense heat (aggravated by the intense cold from the blasting AC -- everyone in my family keeps light jackets with them year-round to buffer against the indoor AC temps (what, your nose isn't supposed to run from cold every time you see a movie in the movie theater?)), and growing up in the drought years, we would have 110 degree days and be asked to run laps outside during PE. Unlike snowy areas, there seems to be understanding of / provision for a time when sun might be too much.
Whenever I visit I catch myself longing for a cloud to pass just so I can get a minute's relief from ceaseless squinting. (WITH sunglasses on.)
Again -- I like southern california and will always have a soft spot for it -- I would just love it if people didn't act like I was crazy for daring to suggest that it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Quite a few of the regulars have bene mostly absent the last few days; puddles, lb, ap, jump, sarah, archi etc?
Hope you are all well.
Also, WonderK a Brazilian friend once told me of some islands of the north east coast of Brazil that are like perfectly 65-70 Degress yr round. not sure what they were named or if they get lots of rain.
the only thing i mind re: lots of sun is the heat. We had an unusual amount fo rain the first month or two of summer so it stayed relately cool. However, now the 90+ degree days are here to stay (or at least until Oct)...
Reviews went well yesterday. 26 students in 4.5 hours necessitated brevity, from both the students and the critics. Overall I was happy with what the students were able to accomplish - the course dealt with introducing the computational approach to design alongside basic introductions to Rhino and Grasshopper to students that had little or no Rhino experience and had never seen in action Grasshopper. We had some great critics which always helps out. I'm glad the school gave me this opportunity, now we'll wait and see to see what the student evaluations say!
As a life-long New Englander I know what you're saying manta, but damn, the thought of San Diego weather year round makes these dreary New England days seems even worse!
FINALLY!!! You know it took me nearly a week to catch up on all the TC news! I started reading on the iPhone Friday on our drive back from FL, and am just now finishing.
Vacation was overall nice, but had some rough spots. Abram was a pain most of the time, but he did love the waves and the ocean as a whole. We couldn't enjoy them too much because we had to keep him from running out into the ocean after the waves. Our Cottage was lovely, and right across the street from the un-condo'd beach. Unfortunately, the ocean was full of algea (I just realised I dont know how to spell that). I wonder if the algea was a product of the contaminates washed in by the condos and sheer number of people in Panama City Beach. I read somewhere that that is possible.
The last day we were there, we went on a Dolphin tour. I know its touristy, but it was just us 4 and our guide, and it was undoubtedly the best time we had. The water was at least a 30 ft visibility, and the MIL and I got to jump in with the 3 dolphins we saw. Wow. They're a LOT bigger than they look. It was a bit scary, really, but reaaly cool none the less. There were also jellyfish in the water. Now, I am from Texas, and the Corpus Christi and Galveston waters are muddy, swarming with jelly fish the size of volleyballs. The Floridian cousins were the size of beachballs! They were gorgeous, but I was terrified they'd run into me.
We got home LATE Friday night, and Saturday, after he'd done the yard work, Husband built a shed by adding a 3rd fence bay to an existing corner, and roofing it off. It was my idea, to save space, blend in, ect, and he did a great job in executing it. Then, we built a sandbox next to it for Abe.
Congrats Starshooter on your steps! Mine is trying his best to climb out of the crib, and its everything I can do to keep him away from the gadgets on the counters in the kitchen.
I know there was lots more, but a week has gone by since I started catching up, and I have forgotten. Its good to be back, though.
Holz, manta et al: Though not as common as Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder, there is a small percentage of people who suffer from Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder
Yeah especially on the Gulf coast red tides and other algae problems are a major issue to to large amounts of nutrients (from both septic, sewer systems and ag runoff) entering water system.
Sounds like you had fun though. The most recent time i was at the beach, me and chelsea saw a bunch of dolphins. They can be quite "larger than life"...
Sounds like you and your hubby have been productive since the end of vaca. Nothing like getting right back into it...
I thought San Diego was supposed to have the most ideal climate in the US? I have to say I hated cold when growing up in Arizona, but these days - here in the Middle - I really love having seasons. While I get occasionally grumpy when things are overly hot or overly frozen, in the bigger scheme I totally love the whole cycle of change.
Sarah: the beach vacations get easier - everything gets easier - as the boy grows older. Keep on hanging in there! He's still in diapers, right? That's a HUGE change when it happens!
Tired. Hard night of sleep and I've been absent as I've been very busy.
Also, DubK, that picture of people huddle under a theater marquee is sad. I'm a firm believer in providing actual shelter at a bus stop - it's a moral imperative, as far as I'm concerned! When I was at UArizona one of the planning office projects we worked on was the creation of a campus-wide shade network. I'd still love to work on/implement that kind of idea.
San Diego does have the best weather, or so I've been told. The past couple days in Boston have been pretty gloomy because of a storm front (or fronts) so it hasn't felt very summer-like.
Does anyone have a link to the Daily Show skit that LB mentions at the end of the first page of TC? About once a week I read that comment and wonder what I missed out on.
Pixelwhore - I skim over that comment a couple times a day it seems. I'm surprised I don't have it memorized word for word. I still think Archinect forum should allow going to the last page with one click. Maybe that will make the site cluttered and goes against the simple format that archinect seems to prefer.
I've also recently gotten used to (from other forums) hovering around the title of the thread and there being the first few sentences of the OP. I do that once in a while here... That shouldn't clutter things up...
I've just come across the best quote regarding deadlines (coincidentally allegedly said by Douglas Adams, known for missing deadlines)
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
I'm becoming very grumpy as I'm totally bored at work with nothing to do. Supposedly the project that was put on hold in March that I was to work on might be breaking loose within the next week or two. closes eyes and crosses fingers OH... PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
mataray - I'd like to think the US is following just a bit behind in the recovery of the economy (just to counterbalance the negativity and pessimism that seems prevalent). Cautious optimism will help us out in the end I think. Consumer spending might still be down, but thats also because of lack of consumer confidence, which is not based on actual state of the economy, but the perception of the future of the economy. Yes, overt optimism is bad because it can lead to inflation in the more fundamental sense of the word.
But as with all things, I think its impossible for the perception to match exactly the state of it. And I'd like to think that perception is also entwined with how this all works out. I mean the economy is also built on speculation on the future, not simply as a reaction to current conditions. And in some ways the future is shaped by our will, not simply a culmination of all things past.
By the way, I've learned that I am too sympathetic to be doing stocks. In my portfolio, 75% of those in the red still were chosen because the companies were in sustainability and alternative energy and I supported their cause. And I avoided some companies that I felt had unethical business practices even though I knew they would ultimately be good to have in the portfolio (some of those stock picks have gone up +100% in that time)
So, I have an interview here in PDX on Monday. It's with an agency that governs a lot of Portland's public buildings, and it's something to do with enacting an organization-wide climate program. Also, it's an AmeriCorps position. The downside of this is that I will be paid crap - in AmeriCorps they actually encourage and teach you how to use food stamps because your pay is so low - plus it's a 10 1/2 month commitment. However, it looks like a REALLY cool job, and they give you a very large check towards your school loans at the end of it. Plus I think it would be a good way to ride out the recession, while I study for and try to take my exams. Also, I think the opportunities it would give me to meet people and potentially transition into a really interesting job after are very good.
Anyway, I don't have the job yet, but wish me luck. !!!
wonderk, sounds like a good opportunity. While you certainly deserve to make some money, if you will have the chance to network, make an community impact, do some national service and you don't mind being kind of broke i say do it..
But one question: I rant against Walmart because they teach their part-time employees how to get government benefits (so WalMart can continue to give them part-time no-benefit low paying jobs supplemented off the public teat. Can you tell I don't like WalMart?). But this is different, because AmeriCorps is not a private company - it's a government-funded program? Am I right about that?
I imagine PDX is a great place to be broke - I recall tons of low-rent living opportunities when I was there, but that may have changed.
Hello...just wanted to pop in quickly to say that Steven treated Meredith and I to a lovely tour/lunch/visit yesterday in Louisville. We enjoyed it so much we decided to extend our stay an extra day! After meeting at his place and getting the grand tour of the house and the neighborhood court, Steven took us downtown to Proof at [/url=http://www.dberke.com/work/com/21c/index.htm]21C[/url] for lunch. After lunch we walked around, checked out the Humana Building as well as the Museum Plaza gallery, and then took a winding tour/drive back toward his house. And to top it all off, we got to meet his family! Thanks again Steven!
Meeting Steven's family is a highlight of visiting Louisville, AP :o)
Yes, lb, AmeriCorps is a government-funded national service program. It's kind of like the civilian version of putting in military service. I've been kind of mulling over the whole idea of "national service" since Obama took office and I think if I was going to do it, AmeriCorps would be my best bet, and now would be the best time for me. Also I'm meeting a friend of my friend's tonight to see about moving into a low-rent apartment, so I may very well have a plan that I'm sticking to, for once. But I'm not going to say anything to jinx it, so I'll shut up now.
winding tour is right, hm, ap? i probably could have been quicker but, hey, i had a captive audience!
it was great to meet you both. i don't think you got the full 'steven's family' experience because my wife was recovering from just having wrangled the girls home from the pool, but...
i saw that you hit coco's today (a nice little artisanal chocolate shop for those who didn't get the pleasure). chocolate fondue: mmm.
WonderK - The AmeriCorps job sounds fantastic. Although you won't be making much money, it's a great opportunity to 1) have an interesting job that challenges you and that you enjoy, 2) have a job in this economic downturn, 3) network in the Pacific Northwest, 4) beef up your resume with a worthwhile experience, and 5) pay down your student loans. The contract is long enough time to gain experience but not long enough to have worry about the severe financial affect this may have on your more permanent lifestyle. If you are really worried about the amount you'll be making, are you able to supplement your income with a part-time job? Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with the interview process.
Thank you n_! Yes, I think I could supplement AmeriCorps with a part-time job on the weekends, or if I get an adjunct teaching gig too, which would be ideal. It's permitted anyway.
Also I think I have an apartment too! So that's nice.
kitsch at lynn's isn't bad, it's what it's all about. lynn's sponsors the very popular and seriously competitive 'ugly lamp contest' at the kentucky state fair, if that's any indication.
lynn's was a block from our old house and we were there many mornings.
glad you enjoyed, ap. have a great trip!
off to take my 4yo for her first day of preschool!
I had a bizarre moment of utter disillusionment this morning, when NPR did a story on all the marketing opportunities that came out of Woodstock. They played a bit of the Coke commercial with all the hippie kids holding hands in a field - see it here - and it slammed my consciousness straight back to what I was feeling when I first heard that song, as a song can do. Granted, I was four years old, but I innocently believed that Coke wanted the whole world to be friends. Obviously in the interim 38 years I've realized Coke will use any trend available to move product, but somehow that particular song and associated images I'd not consciously aligned with contemporary corporate marketing. I feel like I've lost a subconscious innocence.
billy wilder did a film called one, two, three starring James Cagney as an ambitious coke executive who happened to be headquartered in Berlin. His bosses daughter comes to visit and she runs off and marries a communist from East Berlin. Its rather dated, of course. But, the short of it is, that Cagney converts the communists to appear to be a capitalist when the girls dad arrives. and of course, the former communist now son in law is given the job that Cagney was craving...
just kidding. it is just a little send off to people who take themselves little too seriously... (let's put some humor into what we do as newscasters.) but heck yes, people do talk/write like that in real life... NO?
Awesome, toasteroven, thank you! I followed the link to the guy's TED talk and now I have to go buy Angus some matches, a pocketknife, and a spear.
Steven, we're supposed to let our kids take apart an appliance - we do this with teens every year, let's get going on our toddlers, too! I hope your girl's first day went well!!
Thread Central
Dear Mr. Hoyt [public editor at the NYTimes],
As a Registered Landscape Architect (in Minnesota), and a member of the American Institute of Architects, I am dismayed by the misuse of the word "Architect" to describe the Psychologists who developed the Bush torture program.
'2 U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11’s Wake'
By SCOTT SHANE
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/us/12psychs.html?hp
'Architect' is a legally protected title and practice by most states, and therefore only proper to describe a licensed professional who is responsible for the public's, health, safety and welfare in the creation of the built environment. The individuals in this story are Psychologists (a licensed health care profession), not Architects. Architects also do not design computers nor software.
Can you please advise the editors and writers at the New York Times to stop mis-using 'Architect' to describe individuals who are not licensed or trained as such?
Sincerely,
Treekiller
WK - New England - although recently I've been doing a few projects in Florida and Central America... I wouldn't want to move down there, though...
Yeah...aside from Buenos Aires, which I hear is lovely, or Curitiba, which is like the Brazilian version of Portland, I wouldn't want to move down there either. As I'm currently in the American version of Portland - Portland - I think I might just stay.
just went to the market (west side) with the missus and picked up some mid week/mid summer specials. The house is filled with strawberries and cantelope. We also sat at the back of the market and ate falafel... good fun
my impression thus far of Florida is that apparently the two largest industries are church and prostitution.
nice work, tk.
DubK, interview was yesterday. It went pretty well, but they're interviewing people all through next week and won't be able to make a decision for a little bit. But the interviewer liked my work and we have a good conversation about the firm's market position, which is where I think I'll stand out from the crowd. Hopefully they'll realize that training me will take about 1/50th the time of training anyone not familiar with the industry.
wk,
From all the postings in pdx, I wasn’t sure if you had picked up a gig or were just hanging out. have you swung by the sipshouse yet?
tk, nice LTE. think it'll get published?
doubt my letter will get noticed at the NYTimes - but it was worth yelling from the middle of the forest.
ONE MORE DAY at the office & I'm on 'vacation' to prepare my fall course... yeay! now off to home.
Been hanging out in Southern California with my family for a little bit. Every time I come back here, I remember how quickly I tire of the relentless sun. I remember as a kid I literally, truly prayed for rain. Or a cloud. Or even some dew in the morning. Course that was back in the drought years, but still.
My mother claims that it stays green here all year long. Not so. This is selective memory. It is green for approx. 3 1/2 weeks, beginning 2nd week of March (when the annual 2 weeks of solid rain begin) and ending first week of April. (I hear this year has seen slightly more but still...)
Anyhow, I never understand it when people say "how you could live in Chicago with all that snooooow???" (horror of horrors) but, just the same, I never understand it when people say "how could you live in California with all those earthquakes???" either.
When it is not green in southern CA, it is brown. Everywhere you look, it seems like the sun has leached color out of the world. Not so very different from the look of Chicago in winter, except for the palm trees / white blanket...
Sun fatigue aside, I do enjoy it here, and spent a very lovely day in LA puttering around looking at stuff. There are so many fabulous buildings in LA. It is indeed underrated as an architectural destination. We were also amazed by the (new??) carpool lane - train dropoff points for the train system -- on the 110 -- but we couldn't figure out how they get used. Anyone ever use them?
manta, your thoughts on the relentless sun and scorched earth of SoCal are part of the reason I couldn't hack it. It was just so dry. I guess I took for granted how much I needed moisture. And they are only getting less and less water, not more. It scares me what will happen when the water truly runs low.
And in answer to your question about the stops in the HOV 110 lanes, those are for buses only, not for the train. The Metro Blue Line runs south parallel to the highway but never on it, and it crosses paths with it once, I believe. The buses run express routes along the 110 and the stops are accessible from stations underneath with gigantic stairways up to the deck of the highway. It's an OK bus line but intimidating standing there in the middle of the highway, for sure, and I never felt safe going to the stations by myself in the daylight, let alone at night when I really needed those lines.
Speaking of buses, and the sun, these people could really benefit from a city that cared enough about public transportation to give them a proper bus shelter. (Maybe lb could design them one?!!) This photo was taken on a hot day last summer at one of Downtown LA's busiest bus corners. Ugh.
sun fatigue?!? manta, don't take this the wrong way, but... go f*ck yourself!
we'd had like 80 days of sunshine this summer, but the last few days of cool air, turning leaves and 1/2" of rain have me confronting another winter of deep, dark depression.
actually, it's just as brown here. our neighborhood started to smell like dog piss before the recent rains.
The grass is always greener... :o)
In all seriousness though, and I'm not trying to be a horrible person, but the sun was so intense in Hawaii that I was scared to go out some days. Is there an absolutely perfect place on earth where the sun isn't too unrelenting, and it rains enough, but the humidity isn't so bad that allergies kill you half the year, and it doesn't get cold enough to freeze your garden? Perhaps. But I bet the land cost so much $$$ that we're all better off enjoying what we have, when we have it. I mean, look at these guys for god's sake...135 miles of running in 130-degree heat? Maybe the rest of us are just really wimpy!
come now, holz, no reason to tell me off! I no longer live in southern california and the number 2 reason was the weather. Sorry you are in a grey place; that is the same reason I have trouble contemplating living in the NW. It would be depressing for me as well.
Yes, wk -- it's amazing. It has always struck me how many californians simply don't seem to understand the need for shade / solar relief. "How could the weather not be 100% positive?" seems to be the prevailing attitude. (Of course--a generalization, I realize, but seemingly shared by those in power.) I have had this secret belief that because so many southern californians are transplants, who often specifically moved there for the weather, they are blinded to any possibility that it could have negative side effects. People would stare at me when I complained of headaches from the intense heat (aggravated by the intense cold from the blasting AC -- everyone in my family keeps light jackets with them year-round to buffer against the indoor AC temps (what, your nose isn't supposed to run from cold every time you see a movie in the movie theater?)), and growing up in the drought years, we would have 110 degree days and be asked to run laps outside during PE. Unlike snowy areas, there seems to be understanding of / provision for a time when sun might be too much.
Whenever I visit I catch myself longing for a cloud to pass just so I can get a minute's relief from ceaseless squinting. (WITH sunglasses on.)
Again -- I like southern california and will always have a soft spot for it -- I would just love it if people didn't act like I was crazy for daring to suggest that it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Hmm, y'all probably figured this out, but that sentence above should read:
"Unlike snowy areas, there seems to be no understanding of / provision for a time when weather might be too much."
manta, i'm only kidding.
i don't know if i get this anti-sun thing, though.
i've been to socal in the summer. it's not that hot, and unlike some places i've been (arizona, the southeast) it actually cools off at night.
now the 103 temps we hit a few weeks ago were unbearable, but only because we only average a handful of days above 85 degrees per year.
Morning TC!!!
Quite a few of the regulars have bene mostly absent the last few days; puddles, lb, ap, jump, sarah, archi etc?
Hope you are all well.
Also, WonderK a Brazilian friend once told me of some islands of the north east coast of Brazil that are like perfectly 65-70 Degress yr round. not sure what they were named or if they get lots of rain.
the only thing i mind re: lots of sun is the heat. We had an unusual amount fo rain the first month or two of summer so it stayed relately cool. However, now the 90+ degree days are here to stay (or at least until Oct)...
Morning nam & co.!
Reviews went well yesterday. 26 students in 4.5 hours necessitated brevity, from both the students and the critics. Overall I was happy with what the students were able to accomplish - the course dealt with introducing the computational approach to design alongside basic introductions to Rhino and Grasshopper to students that had little or no Rhino experience and had never seen in action Grasshopper. We had some great critics which always helps out. I'm glad the school gave me this opportunity, now we'll wait and see to see what the student evaluations say!
As a life-long New Englander I know what you're saying manta, but damn, the thought of San Diego weather year round makes these dreary New England days seems even worse!
FINALLY!!! You know it took me nearly a week to catch up on all the TC news! I started reading on the iPhone Friday on our drive back from FL, and am just now finishing.
Vacation was overall nice, but had some rough spots. Abram was a pain most of the time, but he did love the waves and the ocean as a whole. We couldn't enjoy them too much because we had to keep him from running out into the ocean after the waves. Our Cottage was lovely, and right across the street from the un-condo'd beach. Unfortunately, the ocean was full of algea (I just realised I dont know how to spell that). I wonder if the algea was a product of the contaminates washed in by the condos and sheer number of people in Panama City Beach. I read somewhere that that is possible.
The last day we were there, we went on a Dolphin tour. I know its touristy, but it was just us 4 and our guide, and it was undoubtedly the best time we had. The water was at least a 30 ft visibility, and the MIL and I got to jump in with the 3 dolphins we saw. Wow. They're a LOT bigger than they look. It was a bit scary, really, but reaaly cool none the less. There were also jellyfish in the water. Now, I am from Texas, and the Corpus Christi and Galveston waters are muddy, swarming with jelly fish the size of volleyballs. The Floridian cousins were the size of beachballs! They were gorgeous, but I was terrified they'd run into me.
We got home LATE Friday night, and Saturday, after he'd done the yard work, Husband built a shed by adding a 3rd fence bay to an existing corner, and roofing it off. It was my idea, to save space, blend in, ect, and he did a great job in executing it. Then, we built a sandbox next to it for Abe.
Congrats Starshooter on your steps! Mine is trying his best to climb out of the crib, and its everything I can do to keep him away from the gadgets on the counters in the kitchen.
I know there was lots more, but a week has gone by since I started catching up, and I have forgotten. Its good to be back, though.
Holz, manta et al: Though not as common as Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder, there is a small percentage of people who suffer from Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder
manta - I'm in LA right now too. Yell and I can hear you!
Hey Sarah!!
Yeah especially on the Gulf coast red tides and other algae problems are a major issue to to large amounts of nutrients (from both septic, sewer systems and ag runoff) entering water system.
Sounds like you had fun though. The most recent time i was at the beach, me and chelsea saw a bunch of dolphins. They can be quite "larger than life"...
Sounds like you and your hubby have been productive since the end of vaca. Nothing like getting right back into it...
I thought San Diego was supposed to have the most ideal climate in the US? I have to say I hated cold when growing up in Arizona, but these days - here in the Middle - I really love having seasons. While I get occasionally grumpy when things are overly hot or overly frozen, in the bigger scheme I totally love the whole cycle of change.
Sarah: the beach vacations get easier - everything gets easier - as the boy grows older. Keep on hanging in there! He's still in diapers, right? That's a HUGE change when it happens!
Tired. Hard night of sleep and I've been absent as I've been very busy.
Also, DubK, that picture of people huddle under a theater marquee is sad. I'm a firm believer in providing actual shelter at a bus stop - it's a moral imperative, as far as I'm concerned! When I was at UArizona one of the planning office projects we worked on was the creation of a campus-wide shade network. I'd still love to work on/implement that kind of idea.
San Diego does have the best weather, or so I've been told. The past couple days in Boston have been pretty gloomy because of a storm front (or fronts) so it hasn't felt very summer-like.
Does anyone have a link to the Daily Show skit that LB mentions at the end of the first page of TC? About once a week I read that comment and wonder what I missed out on.
Hey guys! The recession has ended in France and Germany!
Wow, wouldn't it be nice not to be part of a boom-and-bust economy?
Pixelwhore - I skim over that comment a couple times a day it seems. I'm surprised I don't have it memorized word for word. I still think Archinect forum should allow going to the last page with one click. Maybe that will make the site cluttered and goes against the simple format that archinect seems to prefer.
I've also recently gotten used to (from other forums) hovering around the title of the thread and there being the first few sentences of the OP. I do that once in a while here... That shouldn't clutter things up...
I've just come across the best quote regarding deadlines (coincidentally allegedly said by Douglas Adams, known for missing deadlines)
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
I'm becoming very grumpy as I'm totally bored at work with nothing to do. Supposedly the project that was put on hold in March that I was to work on might be breaking loose within the next week or two. closes eyes and crosses fingers OH... PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
mataray - I'd like to think the US is following just a bit behind in the recovery of the economy (just to counterbalance the negativity and pessimism that seems prevalent). Cautious optimism will help us out in the end I think. Consumer spending might still be down, but thats also because of lack of consumer confidence, which is not based on actual state of the economy, but the perception of the future of the economy. Yes, overt optimism is bad because it can lead to inflation in the more fundamental sense of the word.
But as with all things, I think its impossible for the perception to match exactly the state of it. And I'd like to think that perception is also entwined with how this all works out. I mean the economy is also built on speculation on the future, not simply as a reaction to current conditions. And in some ways the future is shaped by our will, not simply a culmination of all things past.
By the way, I've learned that I am too sympathetic to be doing stocks. In my portfolio, 75% of those in the red still were chosen because the companies were in sustainability and alternative energy and I supported their cause. And I avoided some companies that I felt had unethical business practices even though I knew they would ultimately be good to have in the portfolio (some of those stock picks have gone up +100% in that time)
now that's a garage
So, I have an interview here in PDX on Monday. It's with an agency that governs a lot of Portland's public buildings, and it's something to do with enacting an organization-wide climate program. Also, it's an AmeriCorps position. The downside of this is that I will be paid crap - in AmeriCorps they actually encourage and teach you how to use food stamps because your pay is so low - plus it's a 10 1/2 month commitment. However, it looks like a REALLY cool job, and they give you a very large check towards your school loans at the end of it. Plus I think it would be a good way to ride out the recession, while I study for and try to take my exams. Also, I think the opportunities it would give me to meet people and potentially transition into a really interesting job after are very good.
Anyway, I don't have the job yet, but wish me luck. !!!
wonderk, sounds like a good opportunity. While you certainly deserve to make some money, if you will have the chance to network, make an community impact, do some national service and you don't mind being kind of broke i say do it..
So basically good luck!
Yes, what nam said, exactly.
But one question: I rant against Walmart because they teach their part-time employees how to get government benefits (so WalMart can continue to give them part-time no-benefit low paying jobs supplemented off the public teat. Can you tell I don't like WalMart?). But this is different, because AmeriCorps is not a private company - it's a government-funded program? Am I right about that?
I imagine PDX is a great place to be broke - I recall tons of low-rent living opportunities when I was there, but that may have changed.
Hello...just wanted to pop in quickly to say that Steven treated Meredith and I to a lovely tour/lunch/visit yesterday in Louisville. We enjoyed it so much we decided to extend our stay an extra day! After meeting at his place and getting the grand tour of the house and the neighborhood court, Steven took us downtown to Proof at [/url=http://www.dberke.com/work/com/21c/index.htm]21C[/url] for lunch. After lunch we walked around, checked out the Humana Building as well as the Museum Plaza gallery, and then took a winding tour/drive back toward his house. And to top it all off, we got to meet his family! Thanks again Steven!
er...Proof at 21C...
Meeting Steven's family is a highlight of visiting Louisville, AP :o)
Yes, lb, AmeriCorps is a government-funded national service program. It's kind of like the civilian version of putting in military service. I've been kind of mulling over the whole idea of "national service" since Obama took office and I think if I was going to do it, AmeriCorps would be my best bet, and now would be the best time for me. Also I'm meeting a friend of my friend's tonight to see about moving into a low-rent apartment, so I may very well have a plan that I'm sticking to, for once. But I'm not going to say anything to jinx it, so I'll shut up now.
winding tour is right, hm, ap? i probably could have been quicker but, hey, i had a captive audience!
it was great to meet you both. i don't think you got the full 'steven's family' experience because my wife was recovering from just having wrangled the girls home from the pool, but...
i saw that you hit coco's today (a nice little artisanal chocolate shop for those who didn't get the pleasure). chocolate fondue: mmm.
thanks for coming!
oh, and 21c was just recognized as one of the top 'art hotels of the world' by guardian uk:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2009/aug/12/art-hotels-world?picture=351516106
nifty.
i didnt get no chocolate fondue in louisville!
oh, "winding" in the best sort of way. instead of a straight shot back, we got to see more of the city! and we certainly were in no rush...
coco's was amazing. we're reheating the leftover fondue as i type. mmmmm.
oh, also, we ate at Lynn's Paradise Cafe earlier today. a bit kitschy, but the food was good:
that block of baked mac-n-cheese was reaaaally good.
off to St. Louis tomorrow!
WonderK - The AmeriCorps job sounds fantastic. Although you won't be making much money, it's a great opportunity to 1) have an interesting job that challenges you and that you enjoy, 2) have a job in this economic downturn, 3) network in the Pacific Northwest, 4) beef up your resume with a worthwhile experience, and 5) pay down your student loans. The contract is long enough time to gain experience but not long enough to have worry about the severe financial affect this may have on your more permanent lifestyle. If you are really worried about the amount you'll be making, are you able to supplement your income with a part-time job? Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with the interview process.
Thank you n_! Yes, I think I could supplement AmeriCorps with a part-time job on the weekends, or if I get an adjunct teaching gig too, which would be ideal. It's permitted anyway.
Also I think I have an apartment too! So that's nice.
kitsch at lynn's isn't bad, it's what it's all about. lynn's sponsors the very popular and seriously competitive 'ugly lamp contest' at the kentucky state fair, if that's any indication.
lynn's was a block from our old house and we were there many mornings.
glad you enjoyed, ap. have a great trip!
off to take my 4yo for her first day of preschool!
AP - if you ever order a "slinger" at a diner in st. louis, it's the stuff in that last picture covered in chili.
Man i seem to be loosing multiple posts lately. Maybe i am just closing the browser window too soon after posting..
Orhan, is that for real/ It doesn't "sound" like him based on the limited interviews i have seen him on tv etc. Pretty cool though.
Also, WonderK i meant to say a friend of mine did Americorps for two years (working with HUD) and she loved it.
I had a bizarre moment of utter disillusionment this morning, when NPR did a story on all the marketing opportunities that came out of Woodstock. They played a bit of the Coke commercial with all the hippie kids holding hands in a field - see it here - and it slammed my consciousness straight back to what I was feeling when I first heard that song, as a song can do. Granted, I was four years old, but I innocently believed that Coke wanted the whole world to be friends. Obviously in the interim 38 years I've realized Coke will use any trend available to move product, but somehow that particular song and associated images I'd not consciously aligned with contemporary corporate marketing. I feel like I've lost a subconscious innocence.
On the upside, the new Cracker album is awesome.
billy wilder did a film called one, two, three starring James Cagney as an ambitious coke executive who happened to be headquartered in Berlin. His bosses daughter comes to visit and she runs off and marries a communist from East Berlin. Its rather dated, of course. But, the short of it is, that Cagney converts the communists to appear to be a capitalist when the girls dad arrives. and of course, the former communist now son in law is given the job that Cagney was craving...
nam, NO is differtent on tv.;.))
just kidding. it is just a little send off to people who take themselves little too seriously... (let's put some humor into what we do as newscasters.) but heck yes, people do talk/write like that in real life... NO?
for LB:
Link
Awesome, toasteroven, thank you! I followed the link to the guy's TED talk and now I have to go buy Angus some matches, a pocketknife, and a spear.
Steven, we're supposed to let our kids take apart an appliance - we do this with teens every year, let's get going on our toddlers, too! I hope your girl's first day went well!!
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