View with a restaurant

as seen from the wooded river path in the park
What you don't see is the river and cliff between the restaurant and these leafs in the forefront. There is no back entrance.

from inside the resaurant, you get a restaurant with a view, though a bit obscured. This is Curly's, a small place where Pop 'n' Fresh has played many times. They taut Irish lineage or homeage, who am I to argue. It reminds me, while I'm on the path, of about how far along I am. There are a few markers like this, but the shot is neat, showing the windows, which are quite large, offer little precision from their lofty height.

I guess I'm enticed to go there again to eat, drink, listen to music and see the colors of fall and part of the river.

pictures of the walk (since MR reminded me that I didn't post them)

the leaves are just starting to turn color
found on the underside of a log
looking East on the river
monarch
unknown species of mushroom, but interesting to me
for clarification, this is a heron
one of the park's patches of seasonal flowers
along the golf course
shade adds to this shot
trees are always redder on the other side, which doesn't have a path

filth and mire

videos on the net, ever possible, but some leave you with the qeustion, "why" or more appropriately, "who would ...". Amy was at Monkeyjack's last night and introduced us all to a website with hundreds of videos -- many of which panders to the sick. I wonder why MR mentioned Videodrome the other night, it's relevancy now comes into focus. I only saw one video that I hadn't seen, while tasteless it wasn't sickening. It was, however 'R' rated material. What Lori, Monkeyjack's wife, told me was that one they (Monkeyjack, Lori, Amy) watched while I was battling the boys, was "tossed salad"+ and more. I'm glad that my time was spent playing rather than watching the sad, sick, twisted nature of people.

I would have thought, sometime within you seeing what was going on you would: kill the video, kill the page, turn off the sound and monitor, or escape the room as though it were on fire. They did none of these and watched it. Amy was introduced to this by a co-worker. She works in schools -- you think about that! I was told about it and won't see it and won't tell the website. For me ... it is the better part of valor not to carry the message at all.

Even more so than the TV, monitor what your family watches -- you may undo all of your work, by enabling curisoity that doesn't kill the cat.

+ I had mentioned that I recently had typed in the term to find out its menaing and was grossed-out to find the preversions of people, but shouldn't have been shocked. I think this sparked a memory in Amy's veiwing with the co-worker (notice I didn't use, "friend")

disembodied

I was on one of the three bridges that cross a local river, each within a few miles of each other. The bridge is very old -- 40's, I think and rocks with wind and seems to support only the weight of three persons. I walked from end to end and back, then heading back to the car, I heard, "bye" from a child's voice. Now ... who said it?

There are two nearly-parallel paths, one in the woods, one out. There were people out in the park, but when I listened for more, I heard no voices at all. I don't believe in ghosts and won't, until one bites me in the arse, but I found it strange. "Bye", by whom? I'll forget about it, until I experience it again. Still, it was worth the eerriness of the moment.

Swordfight at the OK coral

I was at Monkeyjack's, invited to dinner, and was greeted by the hounds of the baskervilles (not so terrifying if you know that they are rambunctious puppies -- large as they are). They are still teething and when a toy isn't around, furniture or people work just as well. With my return there, the behaviors returned as well ... some good, some bad. They are, afterall, dogs that can imprint information and make associations that last a lifetime. Humans think too much to do this.

Cheyenne has taken more to going belly up for chest rubs, while Echo prefers a back and rump scratch -- devilishly difficult to reach. They have difficulty being calm around guests, it appears, or perhaps just around me -- the upright dog. Should I have been in the Shaggy Dog? They are very lovable.

Charlie wanted to battle, the moment that he knew I was there. It started with swords then moved to wrestling. With Jared's arrival, I was the evil one, General Grievious, wielding two swords against my opponents who had armor that doesn't break and had force fields, and could walk on lava, whereas I had none of those things -- hence, my continually slaughter at their hands. Later, they developed the ability to become invisible and I was swinging in the air for targets that continually slashed at me. It was my disappointment that early on, while Charlie alone was battling me, that he bears a scratch by my random swinging.

The boys together were formidable, but agreeing on rules was their downfall. What to play, ground rules, who I was, what weapon I was to have all were difficulties. After dinner, the boys battled me, but older man me requested that we switch gears to video games, where digitally, I was crushed, shot, pushed felled and in all manners slain in a Mario fight game.

The dogs, singly and together pawed and cried at the door to be with the boys and I. There were no distinctions. Kids, canine or human should play together in harmony.

Charlie had one last fight -- sleep, but to this enemy he fell.

Park walk

On Sunday, while the weather was nearly perfect -- enough so for me, I went for a simple park walk, 2 or 3 miles tops. I saw many a thing there, nature not too afraid of humans, the tinge of color in a few leaves, the murky river and I smell ed the aroma of autumn. The largest animal I saw, but was too fast for my camera and myself was a woodchuck that scurried along the path to its wide burrow.

Something I didn't expect to see, teen boys throwing their bikes off a stairwell to the bridge. I merely stepped by, not asking a thing, for I remember as a youth, pangs of physical energy -- needing to move, destroying was more fun and I had not concentration on creating. Therein, the preference for destruction -- mindless, mostly with some benefit. I later saw the four guys; three biking and one walking. Guess which one was throwing the bike off the stairwell. They bade me only a, "hey" while I passed, they knew full well what utter asses they looked like, but who cares what an old man thinks, right?

There was a family getting photos in the flower garden, though they weren't in a wedding party. Rather than the typical, "cheese", they all chimed in with, "buttfly" with each shot. I was getting some shots of spiders lying in wait on flowers, but heard them in the background, later seeing the group finish and move on. It appeared that there weren't very many 'apparent' adults there.

I found a section near a bridge where, the last several times I've been there, a strong odor of death. I looked and searched, but couldn't find the dead thing. I haven't smelled an unprepared dead person before and wonder if it smells much like most other dead animals. I believe that there were markings near the area, as canines and other predators tend to mark areas and locales of food. Still others hide their larder, but I believe a small patch of underbrush and loose twigs covered a body of something. I suspect a fairly large animal, like a raccoon or the like. Dead fish smells like dead fish, but this smell mammalian.

Apart from a long-winded and sickening tale of dead, I continued from there to a spot under the nearby bridge where I could almost cross to the other side of the bank from stones littering the bed. I chanced upon a hawk -- first I heard it, then saw the dark shape in the wonderful blue. A minute later, a heron was in the air, long, magestic and not wanting to be around humans.

I got back to my car and the family next to my car looked peeved that I should do something as vulgar as want to leave with it. From one angle, it looked like they were continually banging the baby carriage into the side of my car. I said nothing to them and left.

It was great to be out in the open, though I'd like a job. I'll go again when I get the chance, which may not come soon.

Grading Flickr

I give it a D. I would give it an "F", but as it's taking about 20% of what I'm giving it, I cannot outright flunk it, but it is close. I do hope that sometime they get it running better, you know ... where when you load pictures it actually loads them. I tried a few times, gave up rather than use profanity and punch my monitor.

Somewhere, there's a puppy crying

While walking through the woods on a leaf-covered path, I found this ... a lonely tennis ball, without its dog. The pair will not see each other again. Poor little puppy lost a good toy, friend.

What started out cute.

Originally uploaded by 'stpiduko'.

Then, the balloon grew to epic proportions, as did my imagination, and tried to consume the panicked town. The town's second mistake was popping it. The wind; garlic, pepper, and onion, did more destruction than the balloon itself. The town then on decided to never pop a balloon the size of the town, just in case it ever happen again.

+ this photo is from a flickr contact, but no one I know

Kids know better

Despite the FDA approving the consumption of spinach again, many kids claim worry that it may not be safe. The fact that they don't like it either in no way influences their opinion, surely. Thanks to some indepth research and rumor-finding, some youths have found that broccoli, green beans, lima beans, asparagus, and squash have also been "tainted" with unknown toxins. Concurrent rumors are that cooties and yuckies are both to blame in this newest produce scare.

Good news, they're being caught

Goshen teacher charged with sexual misconduct with student

Associated Press

GOSHEN, Ind. - An elementary school teacher faces a felony charge of sexual misconduct with a minor for what authorities say was a relationship with a high school student.

Mel Trowbridge, 44, a fifth-grade teacher at Goshen's Waterford Elementary School, was accused of having sex with a teenage girl several times over the past year, said Detective Kelly Todd of the Elkhart County Police Department.

"In terms of the time frame, we're looking at from July of 2005 through August of 2006," Todd said.

Trowbridge, who was arrested Thursday, was being held Friday at the Elkhart County Jail under $100,000 bond. The charge against him carries a possible sentence of two years to eight years in prison.

Bruce Stahly, superintendent of the school district about 25 miles east of South Bend, said the Trowbridge's contacts with the 15-year-old girl were believed to have occurred away from school.

Stahly said Trowbridge has taught at the elementary school for several years and has been an assistant coach in track and basketball at Goshen High School.

Trowbridge has been suspended with pay and no longer has access to school buildings, he said.

.....
I posted before my luck in timing that I am not suspect because I'm male, for I no longer teach. This year will be a big shakedown and I'm glad that I'm not there to answer questions that I shouldn't have to answer, merely because I'm male.

Okay, here the US is in the wrong. I say let him stay there.

U.S. prison head freed in Afghanistan

JASON STRAZIUSO
Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan - An American convicted of running a private prison in Afghanistan as part of a freelance hunt for terrorists left the country late Saturday following his release from an Afghan jail, officials said.

Court documents filed Friday in Washington, D.C., show that U.S. officials planned to help Brent Bennett secure a passport and a ticket out of the country, and an Associated Press reporter saw a man identified as Bennett board a plane for Dubai late Saturday.

Bennett, former U.S. soldier Jonathan "Jack" Idema, and Edward Carabello were arrested in July 2004 and convicted of running a private prison in Kabul after Afghan security forces raided a house and discovered eight Afghan men who said they had been abused.

Abdul Qayum, the commander of the Pul-i-charki prison where Bennett had been jailed, said the American was in good spirits when he left the prison on Saturday.

An Afghan airport official showed an AP reporter a copy of the passport of the man boarding the plane in the name of Brent L. Bennett. The official asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Idema, who is serving a five-year sentence at the prison, also told the AP that Bennett was being flown out of the country on Saturday.

No U.S. officials in Afghanistan would comment on Bennett's case, and an American lawyer filing paperwork on his behalf said he didn't know if Bennett was free or in U.S. custody. When Bennett boarded the plane he was not wearing any restraints.

"We don't know if he was forcibly put on the plane or not because they probably knew people would be watching," lawyer John Tiffany said by phone from the United States. "I'm hoping that there were no constraints."

Edward P. Birsner, the consul at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, said in Friday's court filing that the "Embassy has no intentions of taking Mr. Bennett into custody."

A spokesman for the embassy declined to comment on the case Saturday.

Bennett had been sentenced to three years in prison. Carabello, who said he was a video journalist, was released in April.

8th dominoe

My folks got a call today about a friend who died after surgery. Not only was he a friend, but even bringing it closer to them was that he got a blod clot and died after having the same surgery that my mother had. She had both knees replaced and is generally considered a relatively simple and common surgery. Whether it was freakish or that her doctors loaded her with lots of blood thinners or simply that God needed her to live ... it brings it closer (click) another domino closer.

In the last five years, other dominoes have fallen in line, drawing closer. It hurts losing a loved one, but since the folks are older, ultimately there is a fear of the unknown -- what happens when you die. What happens to the soul of the person? What happens to everyone still around (spouse)? There is reason to fear, but nothing to do about it.

Paul, I met you twice and you seemed like a nice guy. God rest!

This should be the new requirement

Smoke? Well then, use this, and only this.

Who supports terrorism?

America does is the simplest way: oil-wasting vehicles haulling only one person or few persons. Waste, waste, waste and the terrorist organizations love it! When you don't care, you support terrorism. Buy drugs, support terrorism. If you think I'm wrong, research what Afghanistan exports -- drugs and weapons. How would Iraq ever be able to support terrorism ... ah, yes ... oil. Which country consumes the most oil of any nation ... hmm... the US. Slow terrorism, stop buying fuel-inefficient vehicles. If they aren't bought, new ones won't be built and America will have models that actually get better gas mileage.

Govenor of California -- Arnold, why own Humvees? A state with energy and pollution problems and the govenor demonstrates great waste. To all of America, set an example ... don't feed, cloth and house terrorists -- stop being wasteful. Dump the SUVs. Dubai has built an artificial island found the wonders of oil sales.

Last sampling of news today

One could dwell on any part of this, but more telling is the none-too secret depth to which extemists will carry out revenge against enemies. I would like to believe that their enemies are only the standing armies in the Arab regions, but that isn't so. If non-Iraqis were to pull out of Iraq+ now, then they would find "old" enemies to smite -- likely Israel. I don't ever see an end to their seeking Isreal's removal from the planet. The underscored theme here, "revenge" will really is questionable when they would be satisfied. How about saying a number, eh? Give a death toll for a ballpark. I think if more likely that the number would be "all non-Muslims"

+ I was not a supporter of the war, but pragmatically, there is no good, safe way to mass pull out of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Finding them was easy

Foley, as chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, contacted a 16 year old male. There are questions as to the content and focus of the conversation, but the "page" reported his choice to end the emailing as he was upset with them. I'm sure we're going to hear more about this little thing pretty soon. Sad that he didn't keep up with his (first link) agenda to keep Children safe, even from their parents.

Especially sad was that nobody came

Depression Day Oct. 5

Indiana University-Purdue University will mark Depression Awareness Day on Oct. 5 with a free community event 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Walb Student Union. Display booths, educational handouts and individualized screenings with a mental-health professional will be available. Presentations at noon and 6:30 p.m. are scheduled, and from noon to 1 p.m. a video and discussion in Room 222 Walb Student Unionwill address depression on college campuses.

♦From noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 3, IUPU will host “What Happy Faces are Hiding: Talking About Depression” in the Student Union Ballroom. The free event, open to the community, will offer a personal story that frames mental-health issues in real-life language and examples.

Jerk fails suicide test

Try as he might, this rude, caustic athlete couldn't even kill himself correctly. I guess being knocked around on the field impaired his vision, or maybe it was the drugs, either way -- he's alive. I'm sure the number of people he has agrieved are not relieved with his resilience in the face of this "attempt". His publicist found him. How uncanny that a person vying to get a better reputation for this punk now has a pity card to play out, making him vulnerable regardless of his history of being a snotty jerk or any other deragatory comment that might be reasonably made.

Munchies, Munchies are the best

especially when you're caught trying to fix something, in a place you don't own (Dominoes), at a time that it isn't open, and when you are supposed to have access (ex-employee). In the end, the wonder plant didn't do wonders for this high and mighty couple working their way up the judicial system in great form. I think this is the time to step in and either -- take a lung from each or make sure they don't produce; and I'm not referring to marijuanna.