June 20th

June 20th seems like any other day but over the course of the years like all other dates it can yield a significant amount fo history. I am a little bored at work so I am searching for fun stuff to type about. I don't blog everyday, only when I feel like it, makes it more like a hobby then a job :)

The U.S Officially adopted the Great Seal if the United States as it's official seal on June of 1782 - Highly detailed and all consuming, the seal itself it a link towards many mysteries and conspiracys about our fore fathers, and even somethat preceded them

Ahh Oil good ole oil, back ion 1972, really not all that long ago the Trans atlantic pipeline opened for buisness. The pipeline starts inPrudhoe Bay, AK and come out near Valdez. 31 workers lost their life building this pipeline in one of the worlds most dangerous reigions. OIl may be a cause of strife and hatred all over the world, but it is a nessacary evil until we as the human race can develop a more peaceful and enviormentally friendly soloution.

Todays Random Links

I am an internet trash collecter. Not everything I see I save now and again. I will bookmark something for later viewing, or in this case. Jot it down in my spiffy lil blog here. Nothing special just a few random tidbits I'd like to share.

Yellowstone Geyser erupts after 10 years of inactivity - anyone who has never seen one in person really needs to head to yellowstone. Very powerful stuff

X-Seed 4000 - Skyscraper based on the Physics of Mt. Everest - This may be a post of it's own in the near future. Excellent stuff

Urban Detterents

New youth brings new vision. Sometimes at the wrath of an older generation who is used to doing things a certain way. In Glasgow Scotland youth culture of today is clashing once again with authorities. This time it's over unsightly concert posters plastered all over the city. I've seen these flyers and posters all over every major downtown hub i have ever spent time in. I never thought of it as an eyesore so much as I did a waste of advertising dollars.

Well city officials have come up with a .10 deterrent in the form of a giant cancelled sticker struck across the poster in question. Looks liek it is already paying immediate dividends as city officials are getting many calls from smalltime promoters wondering what the deal is. Rather ingenious solution for a small problem that only a few were aware about.

Link to article

Photo By Jamie Dickinson

Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei

Since 1885 only 46 people have been given the title of "Marathon Monk" Some have even done it twice. There are Marathons, and their are feats of endurance's. This is neither, this is the single most incrediblt regimen ever taken on by a human being in teh history of man. Not to bash the men who fought so bravely in our wars, but the Baton Death March was a picnic compared to what these monks do to their bodys and minds.

The Ritual begins with 100 consecutive days of running 26.2 Miles...twice. Did I mention you need to awake at midnight each night to do this. All through the night they are stoppin.g to pray, approximatley 250 times. The monks supplies during this ordeal are very very minimal. A candle, prayer book and small pouch of vegitarian meal. Not so much to fill you up but mereley to garnish any small amount of nurishment.

If the Monk fails to even arise or complete one day it is reccomended he kill himself. No pressure eh? The Monks are only allowed to stop moving for 3 reasons, they are finished, they are praying, or they are dead. These crazy runs can last upwards of 7 years if properly completed.

Once the 100 days of running has ended the monk can attempt to do the next stage...1000 days. The first 300 days of this are basic "training days" where they continue to run for 26 miles a day. In the 4th and 5th year the pace gets intense and they run for 200 consecutive days. After accomplishing this, they are given a walking stick and a special tabi hat.

One of the finishing feats on this mind controlling journey is the doiri. Here they will pray and recite chants for 9 days, no food, water or sleep is allowed. I can only assume here that suicide is the only option if the monk fails.

The story is not completed in this blog, I just wanted t write about it cause it sounded like something I would want anyone else to read. It is an excellent story.

Video - Monks of Mt. Hiei - Excellent documentary from google video

June 6th, 1944 - D-day

D-Day Memorial Foundation

Never forget that all freedom has a cost.

Crazy Horse Statue

Somewhere in Sioux Falls, MD there is a unfinished 21 story high Mountain carving of Chief Crazy Horse designed and built by Polish sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. He sarted the giant carving in 1948 and worked feverishly until his death in 1982, he was 72.

www.crazyhorsemoujntain.us is a nice tribute as well as informative site with much more info on this.

Pygmy Kangaroo!

To be honest I didn't even knew such a thing existed. But on June 5th Scientists from India will return 17 of these animals back to the wild. Like many animals saved from poachers, the minute they go back into the wild there chances of survival decrease. Hopefully under the watchful eye of the Indonesian enviormental society these little guys will thrive

Click the link for Pygmy Kangroo info

North poll Journey abandoned

And for get this, warm weather. Seems that the fallacy of global warming had stopped her dead in her tracks.

Marineland - Palos Verdes, Ca

In August, 1954, Marineland of the Pacific opened to the public for the first time. Located at the tip of Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County It was the largest oceanarium in the world.

This was before Sea World and todays Modern super parks, this one really was great. As a child I was taken here by my parents and have fond memories of this place. I look through these old Photographs and I can remeber standing next to some of these buildings. I remember being facinated by this place.

How could something so beautiful be destroyed and let go to waste due to the frugal hearts of a handful of wealthy men and women. Marineland had one failing about it...itwas built on land that was highly desired by the rich and famous. When push came to shove, millions of dollars in the pockets of investors was more enticing then a mere world class water park. 1987 would be the last year it would be open.

With preservation efforts lacking, the majority of the old park has been torn down, vandolized or both. There is a large lack of conservation funds to keep the remainin buildings. It's only a matter of time before Marineland is just another rich kids backyard.

Visit the Marineland of the Pacific Historical Society for more Histrical info and more great pictures. Old memories don't fade out, but buildings do get torn down. And that makes me sad.

Also see Maureen Megowan's web page on the History of Palos Verdes, excellent read.

This area is also an excellent dive site location for both beach and tide launch http://www.calcoastdivers.com/DiveLocations/oml.html

You can see the Atrocity that will replace the once proud marine land - The property is worth Many Millions of dollars, I wish they would preserve a little bit instead of wiping out the last remaining shred of existance. To some people it means much more http://www.terranea.com/

Oro Grande - Artist rendition of 1886

Homoe is where you make it, not where you were born and not where you plan on dieing.

The Plan

Set up a trip back bo my old camping stomping grounds. As a boy I used to go to a place up near Mammoth called Rock Creek. I used to walk the banks of the river with My dad or my little brother for hours on end. Seeing a deer or Racoon was never a dull moment. Yet Those memories aren't as cherised as the ones that I have now. That time of any ones life is always a saftey net. No matter what we do nowq have or will become can't begin to take the purity that was that one week a year every year for many years.

The Travesty of Today's Living

When I was young scraping a knee wasn't to big a deal. When I was young violence in school wasn't violence at all. It was kids being kids losing there tempers. We respected our teachers and we knew our place. Todays society although only 20 years ahead has devolved back into some form of Archaic torture chamber. Every move by eveyone is constantly scrutinized and the world is more aware of how politically correct or incorrect they are then how right or wrong based on them using their own god given common sense.