In Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism there is a letter that Nichiren wrote to one of his followers that is titled "Winter Turns to Spring". It is a letter he wrote to Myoichi, a recent widow with children in order to encourage her. It really is such a beautiful letter but the reason I share it is just because we all need that little reminder that winter without fail turns to spring.
Libertad's Journal
My Podcast Link
01/27/2009 22:04 #47537
Winter always turns to spring01/21/2009 18:06 #47477
Barack and Michelle do what?I lifted this off unzipped.net. Looks like I'll have to read this blog some more.
leetee - 01/28/09 12:21
saw this on The Soup and of course, almost spit my tea out across the room. TMI about Mr. and Mrs. pres, if you ask me. I do NOT need to know.
saw this on The Soup and of course, almost spit my tea out across the room. TMI about Mr. and Mrs. pres, if you ask me. I do NOT need to know.
museumchick - 01/22/09 12:53
I can't stop giggling.
I can't stop giggling.
lilho - 01/22/09 03:14
when i heard this, i thought i heard wrong. wow.....
when i heard this, i thought i heard wrong. wow.....
johnallen - 01/22/09 02:14
That's awesome.....Great question to ask at the first open press conference..
That's awesome.....Great question to ask at the first open press conference..
metalpeter - 01/21/09 19:28
I assume she means knuckle to knuckle and not the sexual kind, that would be funny, now that would be one expensive porno.
I assume she means knuckle to knuckle and not the sexual kind, that would be funny, now that would be one expensive porno.
james - 01/21/09 18:12
HA HA HA HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAH HA HA HA HA AHAHA *breath. breath* AH HAHAHAHA HAHA ZOMG!
That is so funny.
HA HA HA HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAH HA HA HA HA AHAHA *breath. breath* AH HAHAHAHA HAHA ZOMG!
That is so funny.
jim - 01/21/09 18:11
Ahhhh hahahahahaha
Ahhhh hahahahahaha
01/19/2009 13:54 #47448
Moochas Gracias Paul
Thank you so much for fixing my mess of a computer last night. I really thought that I was going to lose almost all of my digital photo files and that would have made me so sad. I am sorry you were so allergic to my rabbit dandered computer. I didn't even think of that happening and am so happy that I at least spent the time carefully vacuuming out the inside because I can't even imagine what you would be like if I didn't. I always thought you would be able to come over to my house as long as you didn't go in the rabbit room but now I know that you really never could come over. Anyways, I am most greatful. Thanks again!
paul - 01/19/09 14:55
I am happy to have helped, however, I now hate rabbits as much as cats. At least you can see how alerguc I am to animals. People always think I am exaggerating when I tell them how allergic I am. Rabbits and hay are at the top of that list and so is dust. So add rabbit and hat dust and it's like my kryptonite.
My only other experience with rabbits was (e:godown) and I went to my blockbuster coworkers movie night party in the mid 90s. Since then I have managed to avoid them.
I am happy to have helped, however, I now hate rabbits as much as cats. At least you can see how alerguc I am to animals. People always think I am exaggerating when I tell them how allergic I am. Rabbits and hay are at the top of that list and so is dust. So add rabbit and hat dust and it's like my kryptonite.
My only other experience with rabbits was (e:godown) and I went to my blockbuster coworkers movie night party in the mid 90s. Since then I have managed to avoid them.
01/11/2009 09:27 #47364
Hot Bean DipHere you go (e:leetee) and (e:ladycroft). I'm glad you both enjoyed it. For any of you who may want to make this to serve to veggies make sure that you check the refried bean ingredients as they often have animal fat in them. Usually the fat free ones are OK. Recipe from 
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sour cream
* 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
* 1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
* 5 drops hot pepper sauce
* 2 tablespoons dried parsley
* 1/4 cup chopped green onions
* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix in the refried beans, taco seasoning, hot pepper sauce, parsley, green onions, 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the Monterey Jack cheese. Transfer the mixture to an 8x12 inch baking dish. Top with remaining Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is slightly browned.
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sour cream
* 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
* 1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
* 5 drops hot pepper sauce
* 2 tablespoons dried parsley
* 1/4 cup chopped green onions
* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix in the refried beans, taco seasoning, hot pepper sauce, parsley, green onions, 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the Monterey Jack cheese. Transfer the mixture to an 8x12 inch baking dish. Top with remaining Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is slightly browned.
ladycroft - 01/12/09 08:44
woohoo! thanks lib!
woohoo! thanks lib!
leetee - 01/11/09 13:58
Thank you!!! I am lookng forward to making it!!
Thank you!!! I am lookng forward to making it!!
tinypliny - 01/11/09 09:32
Oh man. I was at the party and still didn't try it. I think I had around 5 potato chips the entire time I was at (e:PMTs). Hahaha
Oh man. I was at the party and still didn't try it. I think I had around 5 potato chips the entire time I was at (e:PMTs). Hahaha
janelle - 01/11/09 09:29
Wow, that looks really good Libertad. I'm sorry I wasn't at the party to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Wow, that looks really good Libertad. I'm sorry I wasn't at the party to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
01/10/2009 14:45 #47353
CO-OP sells toxic tomatoesMy roommate bought these tomatoes from the Lexington CO-OP the other day. I just noticed that the sticker says H2GRO on it which I have previously posted about. Anyways, these tomatoes are grown in a green house that Waste Management converts methane gas from their dump site into electricity to power it. My main problem with this is that the green house is adjacent to where all the radioactive material from the Manhattan Project is being stored as well as where all the toxic chemicals of the North East region are disposed of by Chemical Waste Management. The only reason I really ever found out about it was from when I drove around the site and fell upon it. I felt so sick after being around these dump sites that I can assure anyone that these are not tomatoes that should be consumed. Here is the link to my journal where I take a tour of the Lake Ontario Ordinance Works site in Ransomville NY.
So I know some people at the CO-OP and am definitely going to bring this to their attention. Seriously people, DON'T buy these tomatoes!
Thankfully Artvoice has been keeping up on this continuously developing story. They haven't ever made mention of these tomatoes as far as I know. Here is their latest story.
So I know some people at the CO-OP and am definitely going to bring this to their attention. Seriously people, DON'T buy these tomatoes!
Thankfully Artvoice has been keeping up on this continuously developing story. They haven't ever made mention of these tomatoes as far as I know. Here is their latest story.
Meanwhile, In Lewiston: Dangerously High Radiation Levels
by Geoff Kelly & Louis Ricciuti
Chemical Waste Management proudly reveals dangerously high radiation levels
On the Friday after Christmas, whence all news stories go to die, Chemical Waste Management released the results of a radiation survey of its landfill in the Town of Lewiston.
The survey was performed by the URS Corporation, and CWM spokesperson Lori Caso proudly claimed that no significant hotspots had been detected: More than four million samples were taken and evaluated, and 99.85 percent of the samples had registered less than 16,000 counts per minute, which is the self-determined standard CWM uses to decide whether a spot warrants further investigation or remediation.
Doing the math, that means more than 4,000 samples registered above 16,000 counts per minute.
And in any case, 16,000 counts per minute is quite high-640 times what most health physicists would consider a normal level of radioactivity. It's even high by landfill standards: A few years ago, at the BFI-Allied (previously CECOS) landfill on Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls, the maximum acceptable radiation level was set at 1,000 counts per minute. That standard was later raised by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to accommodate "asphalt fill" materials from a Porter Road repaving project that set off BFI-Allied's radiation detection gate alarms at 1,500 counts per minute.
In 2002, defense contractor SAIC performed a radiation survey of the Lewiston Porter Central School District Campus, not far from CWM. SAIC used a standard of 8,000 counts per minute to determine whether a hotspot warranted further investigation. SAIC found levels ranging between 7,000 to 13,000 counts per minute of radioactive emanation, with an anomalous "rock" found on the property behind the elementary school that registered at 38,222 counts per minute. Health physicist Dr. Rosalie Bertell said of the Lew-Port findings, "Rather than calming the public, this should cause outrage."
To put CWM's 16,000 counts per minute in context, we called Tedd Weyman of Toronto's Uranium Medical Research Center. Weyman said "normal" radiation levels in Toronto are 35 to 45 counts per minute. In Baghdad, which the US military has contaminated with depleted uranium munitions, radiation levels range from 25,000 to 75,000 counts per minute.
"What's being found around the schools at Lewiston Porter is, from a scientific perspective, extreme, shocking, and profound," Weyman said. "These rates are higher than what is allowed at any nuclear facility."
He added, "This is a catastrophically serious situation and a human health crisis. These rates are against the law."
-geoff kelly & louis ricciuti
libertad - 01/11/09 09:12
(e:joshua), we live in Buffalo and it really isn't possible for me to grow my own produce. I did try to grow tomatoes on my porch this summer but it was a bad year for them and I only got to eat about two of them. The green house is across the street from the dump and a little further down the street maybe 200 yards or so is where all of the tons of radioactive effluent was dumped into the earth and later "cleaned up". Maybe a 1/4 of a mile or so from that is where Chemical Waste management receives and treats all of the toxic waste from the entire N.E. region. If you want to go and eat the tomatoes by all means eat your heart out.
I admire Geoff Kelly and Louis Ricciuti for their continuous reporting of something that has been going on in our region since WWII. To call him an asshole when he is just trying to make people aware of the dangers this poses to the area does not really speak so much of yourself. Why don't you take a drive out there Josh and take a trip around the LOOW, you just might learn for yourself why these guys are so passionate about this issue and you might not treat them as if they were crazy alarmists making it all up. I am telling you Josh that I felt sick from being there. Nobody can tell me that it is safe to eat the tomatoes they grow there, live around the border or attend classes there. No, it is not a death sentence, as we know from many fine (e:strip)pers who are alive and well, but it just does not make any sense to be so close to toxic chemicals and radioactive waste no matter how well they say they have disposed of it.
(e:joshua), we live in Buffalo and it really isn't possible for me to grow my own produce. I did try to grow tomatoes on my porch this summer but it was a bad year for them and I only got to eat about two of them. The green house is across the street from the dump and a little further down the street maybe 200 yards or so is where all of the tons of radioactive effluent was dumped into the earth and later "cleaned up". Maybe a 1/4 of a mile or so from that is where Chemical Waste management receives and treats all of the toxic waste from the entire N.E. region. If you want to go and eat the tomatoes by all means eat your heart out.
I admire Geoff Kelly and Louis Ricciuti for their continuous reporting of something that has been going on in our region since WWII. To call him an asshole when he is just trying to make people aware of the dangers this poses to the area does not really speak so much of yourself. Why don't you take a drive out there Josh and take a trip around the LOOW, you just might learn for yourself why these guys are so passionate about this issue and you might not treat them as if they were crazy alarmists making it all up. I am telling you Josh that I felt sick from being there. Nobody can tell me that it is safe to eat the tomatoes they grow there, live around the border or attend classes there. No, it is not a death sentence, as we know from many fine (e:strip)pers who are alive and well, but it just does not make any sense to be so close to toxic chemicals and radioactive waste no matter how well they say they have disposed of it.
ladycroft - 01/11/09 08:42
p.s. ditto leetee, can i have that bean dip recipe too!?
p.s. ditto leetee, can i have that bean dip recipe too!?
ladycroft - 01/11/09 07:49
you know, growing up I was always convinced that our property was contaminated and I would end up growing a sixth toe or something.
you know, growing up I was always convinced that our property was contaminated and I would end up growing a sixth toe or something.
joshua - 01/11/09 01:38
(e:lib) - how far is the H2GRO greenhouse from this dump? Depending on the fuel being stored there, particularly if it is depleted, it may not be effected at all.
(e:lib) - how far is the H2GRO greenhouse from this dump? Depending on the fuel being stored there, particularly if it is depleted, it may not be effected at all.
joshua - 01/11/09 01:33
Ok this has nothing to do with the tomatoes - (if you are really scared, grow your own for Christ's sake) -
What drives me crazy about this, is this:
"In Baghdad, which the US military has contaminated with depleted uranium munitions, radiation levels range from 25,000 to 75,000 counts per minute."
Geoff Kelly has a point about Waste Mgmt, but as far as Iraq goes, he needs to qualify this shit or shut the fuck up. I am absolutely, 100% tired of assholes like this. It is well known that the US has coated anti-armor munitions with depleted uranium - it is very effective - but to suggest that if you visit Baghdad, Iraq and can expect to encounter 25,000 to 75,000 counts per minute? Nonsense. Geoff Kelly can't prove it either.
People are so extraordinarily ignorant about latent radioactivity with depleted uranium, and radiation in general. Take a look at the exposure you get from an x-ray - if this absurd crap makes you panicky, then surely you'll never use modern medicine again to diagnose an injury you can't see. Get a CT scan on your chest and it is equivalent to natural radiation exposure for 3 years - OH MY GOOOOOODD!!!!!!!! one one one :::link:::
Generally speaking - if people are afraid of radiation they should hope to die ASAP, as they are exposed to it every single day.
Ok this has nothing to do with the tomatoes - (if you are really scared, grow your own for Christ's sake) -
What drives me crazy about this, is this:
"In Baghdad, which the US military has contaminated with depleted uranium munitions, radiation levels range from 25,000 to 75,000 counts per minute."
Geoff Kelly has a point about Waste Mgmt, but as far as Iraq goes, he needs to qualify this shit or shut the fuck up. I am absolutely, 100% tired of assholes like this. It is well known that the US has coated anti-armor munitions with depleted uranium - it is very effective - but to suggest that if you visit Baghdad, Iraq and can expect to encounter 25,000 to 75,000 counts per minute? Nonsense. Geoff Kelly can't prove it either.
People are so extraordinarily ignorant about latent radioactivity with depleted uranium, and radiation in general. Take a look at the exposure you get from an x-ray - if this absurd crap makes you panicky, then surely you'll never use modern medicine again to diagnose an injury you can't see. Get a CT scan on your chest and it is equivalent to natural radiation exposure for 3 years - OH MY GOOOOOODD!!!!!!!! one one one :::link:::
Generally speaking - if people are afraid of radiation they should hope to die ASAP, as they are exposed to it every single day.
paul - 01/10/09 21:47
I will definately never buy them. Thanks for the notice.
I will definately never buy them. Thanks for the notice.
Not to be a downer but sometimes in Buffalo there isn't a spring. Sometimes it is so short that it almost goes from winter to summer. Either that or it rains all spring.
Just so ya'll know, it is totally my fault for the bad weather this winter. I am sorry.
See, wherever i move, there is always the "hottest summer on record" that year. Because, of course, i do not like the hot weather.
How is this relevant, you ask?
Well, one of my fears of driving that has kept me from getting a license has been driving in the snow.
This is my first winter driving. So, it only stands to reason that it would be snowy. And snowy in that constant never lets up sorta way that freaks me out.
Sorry peeps.
Thanks for reminding us that spring will come, (e:Libertad). :O)
Yea, I'm looking forward to gardening, and having afternoon parties in the yard. And painting the house fun colors... it'll happen
Yay I got a very rare Terry comment on my journal! Here is the link IMK2 :::link:::
where is the letter? link?
It's never going to happen!!!
Coldest winter since I've been alive and I feel it every friggin morning in my car that no longer breathes a wisp of warm air until I'm pulling into the parking lot at work. Brrrrrrr
Really, ask Buddha to make Spring hurry this year will ya?