tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053853131604971502024-03-13T13:37:14.855-07:00Randall Collura's BlogRandall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-14903357642871410762019-05-11T07:02:00.000-07:002019-05-11T07:02:54.902-07:00I’ve tried to be a better version of me, but along the way I neglected something really crucial
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As I’ve lived my life, I have tried to become a better version of me. It
may sound corny, and I certainly don’t claim to be perfect, but I have tried to
be a better partner, a better friend and a better father. In many ways I believe
I have succeeded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I didn’t
have the best role models growing up. My parents were good people in
their own ways, but they were terrible as a couple and weren’t always the best
parents either. I don’t want to bash them, because I loved them both, but
mistakes were made. Unfortunately, it took me way too long to realize
just how dysfunctional my role models were. By that time lots of damage
had already been done.<br />
<br />
My first wife came from a similar place and I cringe at how clueless we both
were trying to make a way-too-early marriage and parenting stint work.
Amazingly, we are still friends and we managed to raise two functional and
indeed pretty awesome children to adulthood. In part this was because we
had some even more problematic models of relationships/parenting that pushed us to do
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can remember thinking – “I
will never do that!’ and this experience prodded me onto a path of self-improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can say that I left my first marriage in an
almost knee-jerk response to my own parents staying together in a terrible
marriage “for the sake of the kids” (See my short movie <a href="https://youtu.be/_ipWnBZ2Dtw" target="_blank">Snapshot</a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Looking back, it was likely not the best choice but at that time I felt like anything would be better then ending up like my parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I certainly tried to improve in my second marriage - I was much
less judgmental, more forgiving and, I believe, a better partner and parent.
But it wasn’t enough. That marriage ended as well, despite my improved but
imperfect efforts. I certainly regret that my failure had a negative
impact on my kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was apparent at
this point that I had a “type” that I was attracted to and this “type” wasn’t
always the most emotionally healthy women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The awareness was there but I just thought that I had to do better….<br />
<br />
When it came to my third marriage, I really felt like I had improved myself as
much as I could - the best me I could be. I really was a much better partner in so many ways.
I supported my wife emotionally and did all I could to help her reach her
dreams. I was devoted and forgiving - I was patient and kind and loving.
I put all my best efforts into making it work even after there were obvious problems. <br />
<br />
If you have read this far you can probably guess the issue I neglected and the
outcome. My third marriage was a disaster and the issue wasn’t what I did
or didn’t do in the marriage. The issue was who I selected as a partner –
the same issue I had all along but never fully appreciated. What I
neglected to understand was how the dysfunctional role models I grew up with had impacted, or perhaps you could say, imprinted upon me the wrong criteria to
select a partner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This YouTube video is a great summary of these issues: <a href="https://youtu.be/NZthaua46l0">https://youtu.be/NZthaua46l0</a><br />
<br />
It’s been a drawn-out process to fully accept just how damaged my last wife
really was and how my efforts to be a better partner actually played into her
issues and allowed a nightmare to go on far too long. I believe it’s
also fair to say that not everyone makes the same effort at
self-improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing I have
noticed recently is how rare real change is – people are remarkably stable, personality
wise, over time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not that people
never change, as I believe I have, but it’s a lot rarer than I would have
guessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unfortunately, this knowledge doesn’t leave me in that great a
place – yes, I am a better partner than I ever was, but I seem to be attracted
to women who render my efforts useless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
therapist suggested that my last marriage was probably doomed from the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t know how to fix this problem
and I wonder if I will ever find the right partner….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-62890434740854713602018-11-04T03:48:00.001-08:002018-11-04T03:48:33.503-08:00My best stereo ever and time to actually listen to it...Ever since high school I’ve been a semi-audiophile even though I’ve never had the deep pockets to fully indulge this hobby. That didn’t stop me from spending many hours designing and building speakers, reading High Fidelity magazine and getting the best equipment I could afford. As you might imagine, I always looked for the bargain gear - stuff that was the best value. As with many things, I can afford much more now than I ever could when I was younger.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLYY_vk7vzgRDcporFsaYhhJBxFLY6i5xinHQRgNUNewlu-8XrnO9Jp76rvacuTA4mgbhLz051RRybKuQPABrqJtu9uq7ijNZERrS7zvgmN6QB2gF-glDVkpiA80fNIi4YR_2eqELUO8/s1600/_MG_4845.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLYY_vk7vzgRDcporFsaYhhJBxFLY6i5xinHQRgNUNewlu-8XrnO9Jp76rvacuTA4mgbhLz051RRybKuQPABrqJtu9uq7ijNZERrS7zvgmN6QB2gF-glDVkpiA80fNIi4YR_2eqELUO8/s640/_MG_4845.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
A photo of my stereo from high school - the mid 1970s: Crappy all-in-one stereo with bookshelf speakers I built. Notice the camera box and piles of books/magazines. I haven’t changed much in over 40 years…<br />
<br />
I can say with certainty that I now have the best gear that I have ever had. The sound I can reproduce with my current setup is way beyond anything coming from any stereo in my past. In addition, the recordings I have access to are better than the 8-tracks and records of my youth - in many cases much better. As a baby boomer, much of the music I love has been remixed/remastered and is available as high-quality digital files that I didn’t even dream of 40 years ago. Albums that I’ve listened to for most of my life have been revealed to have amazing depth and complexity. One example of this is the Steven Wilson Remixes of Yes and other albums - in this regard, I’m a pretty happy guy right now.<br />
<br />
If you’re curious, I have a mid-line Yamaha receiver and very budget, but Andrew Jones designed, Pioneer front and center channel speakers. Having lots of bass has always been important and my subs are the only speakers in my current system that I built. Twin, high quality 12” drivers matched with 240 watt amps and my AudioControl “Phase Coupled Activator” - an old sub-harmonic synthesizer - gives a nice bottom end. The surround speakers are just small bookshelf models – Polk and old Minimus 7s. The whole system is really not very fancy or expensive but has great bang for the buck, IMHO. The only odd arrangement is the front Dolby Atmos “height” speakers which are bounced off the ceiling from the back of the room. This gives an airy feeling and the whole system creates a rich and detailed soundstage with lots of bass when needed. The Yamaha receiver is really good at surround decoding as well – movies and multi-track recordings sound great.<br />
<br />
The music is what’s really important, though, and I’ll often buy a better-quality recording of a favorite piece of music if it’s available but even CDs sound great. I don’t spend much time tweaking - once I set things up, I rarely change any settings. Listening is what it’s all about. I have more time now to just sit and listen to a favorite album. Being single again wasn’t my choice but I’m at least trying to enjoy the freedom it affords me to listen when and at what volume I want. It’s not that I couldn’t when I was married but there is more time for serious listening now. I can fall asleep to music if I want to and I often do. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-55056900470748352812018-10-03T17:45:00.000-07:002018-10-03T17:45:33.055-07:00Divorce #3<div style="text-align: left;">
My third marriage has finally come to an end - legally that is. It’s actually been over for a long time and so there really isn’t much to celebrate, or to mourn for that matter. It started with high hopes that perhaps I’d finally found a real partner; someone who would be on my side, support me, help me reach for my dreams and love me for who I am. That didn’t happen, not even close - even as I worked to be that kind of partner for her. I would have been content with just the basics; love, respect, honesty and commitment. Sadly, I didn’t get those things either. I poured an awful lot of love, understanding, forgiveness and effort into saving this marriage, but it takes effort from both people to make any relationship work. In the end there really wasn’t anything there to save - looking back now with the perspective of time and emotional distance, I’m not sure there ever was.....</div>
<br />
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Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-35919347668529061582016-09-08T15:35:00.001-07:002016-09-08T15:35:26.897-07:00Our Trip to Portugal Part IIThe first night at the beach called Porto de Mos (Lagos) was chilly and we ate al fresco at a place with few veg options.<br />
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But we enjoyed each other's company.<br />
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For our first full day on the coast we walked the beach and checked out the options for fun in the surf. We made reservations for a kayak tour the next day through the caves. <br />
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We also went on a big shopping trip to a cool Portuguese supermarket called Pingo Doce.<br />
Lots of fresh produce and we were thrilled to find seitan and tofu!<br />
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That night we made a huge home cooked meal. Group effort!<br />
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On Monday we set off for the caves in double kayaks. We loved the caves but the trip was messy and wet so we decided to go back with a different kind of tour so we could take photos.<br />
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On Tuesday, Randy was not feeling very well, so Debbie walked the beach and took some cool pictures. Randy rested up and was a real trooper for the rest of the day/week!<br />
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In the afternoon we set off for Faro and a boat trip to the most southern point of Portugal and several traditional fishing villages where the kids are sent to school via boat. <br />
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After the trip we headed for Albufera to check out Didi Cafe, another veg restaurant.<br />
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Got there late, but it is a hopping tourist town. Had a good dinner and took home a vegan croissant to share with the others. YUM!<br />
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On Wed. we took another trip back to the Grottos, this time with a sail boat and motor boat combo. Gorgeous views:<br />
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Went back to Lagos for dinner with Ingrid and Howie. "More than Fries was the place and wow was that yummy!<br />
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On Thursday we walked on the beach and after that we went back to Albufiera with Ingrid and Howie.<br />
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On Friday, we took another boat trip, this time to look for dolphins and with the help of a wonderful Portuguese water dog named Zuka: we got to see many beautiful dolphins.<br />
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On Friday evening we cooked up the last of the food and had a feast.<br />
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Saturday was clear out day and we got an early start heading back to Lisbon.<br />
We were able to spend a few more hours in this beautiful city and found a really nice botanical garden to explore.<br />
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We walked over to Terra for dinner and enjoyed the city scape along the way.<br />
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We spent our last night in Portugal at a very nice hotel near the airport. The floor to ceiling window in our room afforded us a lovely view of the eastern side of Portugal and we enjoyed a gorgeous sunrise on Sunday morning.Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-36802239526639434482016-08-22T04:06:00.000-07:002016-08-22T04:06:04.513-07:00Our trip to Portugal - Part IOur long awaited trip got off to a rocky start. Our flight to Philadelphia was cancelled due to t-storms and we had to be redirected. So we had to fly west to fly east. Got to Chicago and found out that our flight to London was delayed. Delayed so much that we would miss the first two flights to Lisbon from London and wouldn’t get into Portugal until late night on Sunday, thus missing a whole day of our trip. <br />
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We got to London and tried to make the best of it. I shopped at Boots and found the cucumber lotion they carry that I like. Randall found a good bottle of Scotch and we found some veggie food for dinner that didn’t suck.<br />
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We also met a nice man from Fatima Portugal who flew with us from Albany to Chicago, London and then Lisbon. Navigating the transfer was also a challenge - if it wasn't for some nice people at British Airways we would have missed the last flight to Lisbon as well. <br />
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When we did finally arrive in Lisbon we quickly learned that our bags had not! :( So we made our way to the lovely Lisbon Sheraton International hotel carrying very little with us. The nice night desk guy gave us tooth brushes and tooth paste and free internet for the week. <br />
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The black out shades allowed us to sleep in but we made the most of our first full day in Lisbon. We found the infamous tram 28, the arch way, and a great vegan place for lunch. <br />
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Met up with Ingrid and Howie and Ingrid’s family for dinner where we had vegan burgers in a small place across the street from the hotel. It was nice to see Anna Laura once again and to meet the Paul family. <br />
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We also went up to the skybar at the Lisbon Sheraton for a night cap. The view of Lisbon at night was very beautiful. Lisbon has a two really beautiful bridges. One looks like the golden gate and we could see from this bar and even from our hotel room (where we had a broad view of downtown Lisbon) The second bridge we drove over on our last full day in Lisbon and could see from that night’s hotel room.<br />
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Day 2: The 9 of us made our way down to the river where we took a lovely boat ride over to Belem. In Belem we took a long walk to the Belém Tower or the Tower of St Vincent, a fortified tower located on the river and also past a famous monastery - Jerónimos Monastery.<br />
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After the boat ride, Randall and I went to an exhibit called The Lisboa Story Centre. A very nice tour of how Lisbon developed over time and especially after the devastating earthquake of 1755. For dinner on Tuesday we ate at the delicious Terra where we enjoyed a wonderful buffet full of vegan fare. <br />
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Ingrid, Howie and Debbie walked back to the Sheraton and admired the night life of this vibrant city. <br />
On Wed. Ingrid, Howie, Anna Laura the two of us took a tour of Sintra which included Pena Palace and the lovely city of Cascais. We found a vegan restaurant in Cascais that was a real treat. Randall and I walked around and found a gorgeous park that had ducks and roosters.<br />
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On Thursday Randall, Anna Laura and Debbie went to the Tile museum. A wonderful display of local tile with international influence. Also this museum was in an old monastery ( =lots of them in Portugal!) and we found ourselves in a stunning gold laden church. After the museum we made our way to the St. George Fortress and Castle that overlooks the city. This was a real treat as well. <br />
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I have never seen Peacocks in trees, but aside from the gorgeous views, you can also witness these large birds perched in the trees. <br />
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After the castle we went to another large cathedral. <br />
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Debbie found a Synagogue and met a nice woman named Chana on her way out. She said there are about 600 Portuguese Jews in the area. Her family has been in Portugal since before the inquisition. So they hid...<br />
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For dinner on Thursday we went to a wonderful vegan restaurant called Ao26: vegan food project. The dinner started with a vegan cheese board - can’t beat that! We took another long walk after dinner and again witnessing the vibrant street life of Lisbon at night. <br />
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On Friday, our last full day in Lisbon, Randall and walked around the city and found a market with more vegan treats and of course, Sangria. <br />
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We took a fun ride up and down a funicular and in the evening we found an amazing hidden gem right in the middle of downtown. Randall and I both love art deco and there is a gorgeous old hotel/theater called the Eden that is currently undergoing renovation. However, the hotel is still open and there is an unassuming rooftop bar. Oh the view. The entire city lit up as we sipped our drinks by a not that clean, but still attractive pool. What a weird place! <br />
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On Saturday, we picked up our rental car and headed south. But before we got to the Algarve, we took a detour west to a wonderful little town called Evora that featured impressive roman ruins. We also found yet another veggie café with a lovely buffet.<br />
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Got to the house that evening and were stunned by the beauty and the view of our new home. <br />
<br />Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-89069512509166938192016-04-27T12:06:00.002-07:002016-04-27T12:06:27.829-07:00Where to from here?<br />
No, the nominating process isn't over but it's looking pretty grim for Bernie. A friend posted <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/4/26/1520509/-Clinton-hasn-t-won-Sanders-hasn-t-lost-This-is-bigger-than-any-single-primary" target="_blank">a piece by "kos"</a> AKA Markos Moulitsas, the fellow who runs the Daily Kos. The gist of it should sound very familiar to progressives who have been through a few election cycles; Bernie should stay in the Democratic nomination process till the end so he can amass delegates and push the party platform to the left. Indeed progressive independents should join the Democratic party to help put pressure on Clinton to keep her progressive campaign promises. <br />
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The big problem with this idea is that it has no, absolutely zero, chance of success. Really, none. I could forgive someone like him posting such a piece in 2008 when Obama was an unknown - perhaps he could be influenced to come up with some real change. As soon as I saw Obama pick his advisors I knew that was a lost cause. Instead of change we got more of the same corporate playbook; a Fed-fueled pumping of the financial sector with no gains to most people, more wars and new trade deals to crush the middle class. I know a lot of people still love Obama, I don't (remember he claims the right to kill anyone, US citizens included, anywhere in the world without due process). Is he better than McCain/Palin? Sure - if that's how you want to frame the question, but I believe we deserve better. We deserve someone like Bernie! Someone who wants real change, and that isn't going to be Hillary any more than it was Obama. So if that's your game plan, lotsa luck! On the bright side, if Obama was "a great President" in your eyes it's pretty much guaranteed you will get more of the same. <br />
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Yes, the Democratic nominating process is rigged - it's rigged precisely to prevent someone like Sanders from getting the nomination. Kos urges Sanders Democrats not to flee the party (a party that abandoned people like them with the last Clinton presidency). He says "It’s not every day we get to see the creation of a whole new class of people excited about politics." Yeah, and so quickly given a lesson in how things really work in the media and the Democratic party establishment. Clinton couldn't care less about this class of people, BTW, they are just in the way of her getting what she wants. As long as she can convince enough of them to vote for her in the general election, which shouldn't be too hard with Trunp as the likely Republican nominee, she's got it made. <br />
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So should people who worked so hard for Sanders, believed his message, and know the truth about Hillary, now work for her in the general election? Should they vote Green as a protest against the rigged two-party system? Not vote at all? There is no good answer. As soon as Clinton is in the White House again all the progressive talk from her campaign will be conveniently forgotten - you can count on this. Have no illusions about who you are electing - she is a corporate warmonger for the 0.01% I believe that Trump may get a certain percentage of the vote just because he is a political unknown - though he certainly has a business history that should make people think twice about him. Clinton will get a certain percentage of the vote just because she is a woman. A wash, perhaps. I bet if there was a "none of the above" on the ballot "they" would be a contender! <br />
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As a voter in NY my vote really doesn't mean anything, the Electoral College ensures that. You can't even argue that the popular vote means anything after the 2000 election. So if it's Hillary vs. Trump in the general election I'm voting for Jill Stein of the Green Party. Not just as a protest, but because I think she is awesome and the Green Party would be great for this country. I'll leave it to others to decide how to deal with their anger and frustration at the rigged system and our pathetic so-called democracy...<br />
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<br />Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-30781403989510357622014-06-19T18:27:00.000-07:002014-06-20T04:47:02.673-07:00Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part V<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part V</h3>
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Northern CA and back home</div>
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After the Avenue of the Giants, we hit the road again and headed north, through Eureka and into Arcata where we met Rachel and Bruce for a wonderful Japanese dinner.</div>
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Rachel and Bruce live in Trinidad, CA and after dinner they took us to their local beach.<br />
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Rachel and Bruce live in a small community that shares a lush 80 bed garden and greenhouse.</div>
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They also have two adorable cats... Munchie and Shanti who calls Debbie her godmother (Debbie picked her out in the shelter all those years ago in Denver).</div>
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Rachel Randy and Debbie headed even further north the next day and saw Elk, and more big trees.</div>
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Did a nice walking tour of some ancients and then heard about a local whale siting. </div>
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We jumped into the car and headed to see the whales.</div>
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After the whales we went to Paul Bunyan's place (<a href="http://www.treesofmystery.net/" target="_blank">Trees of Mystery</a>) and rode the gondola up to some amazing views. This was also as far north as we got.</div>
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We ate another delicious dinner out in Arcata, decided to take a group photo at another beach and were treated to a spectacular sunset and 10 cute puppies!</div>
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On our last day we said a sad farewell to Rachel and Bruce (and M and S) and headed south looking forward to one last night in the Bay area.</div>
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We were treated to a fog free view of the Golden Gate Bridge and then treated ourselves to yet another delicious meal at Gracias Madre. Debbie tried the El Burro. Yum!!!!</div>
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Spent the night in Palo Alto (repacking everything from two weeks on the road), got to see the pristine Stanford University campus the next morning and flew out without incident back to NJ and finally home.</div>
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Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-55544374486759274762014-06-13T13:00:00.002-07:002014-06-13T13:00:47.799-07:00Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part IV<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
<a href="http://randallcollura.blogspot.com/2014/06/randall-debbies-california-vacation_12.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part I</a>V</h3>
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Mendocino and Redwoods</div>
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Heading north from the SF Bay area we stayed on 101 until Cloverdale and then took the twisty/windy 128 up to the coast. Yes, we know we mostly bypassed wine country - we did stop at a winery but it wasn't the focus of our trip. </div>
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We explored the <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=432" target="_blank">Russian Gulch State Park</a> just north of Mendocino - another beautiful location. </div>
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We stayed at another Airbnb - a small cabin in someone's yard. It was a nice experience even though there was no room for our suitcases. For dinner we went to The Ravens which is an upscale vegan restaurant associated with the <a href="http://www.stanfordinn.com/" target="_blank">Stanford Inn</a> - a vegan resort. The food was wonderful! We returned the next day for a great breakfast. Mendocino is a small town right on the ocean with lots of artists. We walked along the beach, which is right near the main street. </div>
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It was a morning with lots of fog/mist over the shore and this made for some nice photography on our drive. </div>
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Next we turned inland and hit the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenue_of_the_Giants" target="_blank">Avenue of the Giants</a> - Redwood country! We stopped at various places to walk among and shoot these beautiful trees.</div>
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Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-18962026015381489752014-06-12T16:58:00.001-07:002014-06-12T16:58:24.247-07:00Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part III<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part III</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">In our last post we didn't quite make it to San Francisco. After we left Palo Alto we drove to an area where we thought we would be able to hike on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Andreas_Fault" target="_blank">San Andreas fault</a>. After looking over the warning signs for rattlesnakes, mountain lions and ticks we decided to skip that portion of the program. We drove towards SF along the fault </span><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">on Skyline Blvd </span><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">(but at no time in CA did we feel any shaking).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">We stopped at a park to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge but it was fogged in. We did see <a href="http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm" target="_blank">Alcatraz</a>... Later we had a fine meal at </span><a href="http://www.herbivorerestaurant.com/" style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;" target="_blank">Herbivore</a><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"> in SF with Danny Brook and his family, with a stop at </span><a href="http://www.dandelionchocolate.com/" style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;" target="_blank">Dandelion Chocolate</a><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"> afterwards - yummy! Our Airbnb was located in Berkeley and was a nice house with friendly people. The next day we took the BART in to SF and walked around. The first stop was at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coit_Tower" target="_blank">Coit Memorial Tower</a> which gave a nice view of the city and had great depression era murals painted downstairs. </span></span><br />
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SF favorite.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The <a href="http://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/the-fairmont-hotel-san-francisco/" target="_blank">Fairmont Hotel </a>on Nob Hill was beautiful!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We also took some time and explored the majestic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_City_Hall" target="_blank">SF City Hall</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We had lunch in Chinatown at the <a href="http://lovinghut.us/sanfrancisco/" target="_blank">Loving Hut</a> and for dinner we went to Gracias Madre in the Mission District. <a href="http://gracias-madre.com/" target="_blank">Gracias Madre</a> was really outstanding - what a wonderful place! I hear they will open in LA as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">After a long day we wound up in Oakland because we got on the wrong BART train but made it back to our Airbnb OK.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">On our way out of Berkeley heading towards Mendocino we had breakfast at the Berkeley location of Herbivore.</span><br />
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Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-15605575090415524902014-06-11T14:12:00.000-07:002014-06-11T14:12:00.955-07:00 Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part IIRandall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part II<br />
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Big Sur, Monterey and San Francisco<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRVlu5xC9Dtd3R6hoiEAeZbamokbkDb9ib09wb_8APLLAJoaXZe13x5Vs6Ud40rUfrQtzm1rUuKkI22yv4zpngLPnzU1ySy9FuMuDyic8QSU3XuDcmrukEMXhF4_qWhiXVIH4cxU-f_4/s1600/DSCN2404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRVlu5xC9Dtd3R6hoiEAeZbamokbkDb9ib09wb_8APLLAJoaXZe13x5Vs6Ud40rUfrQtzm1rUuKkI22yv4zpngLPnzU1ySy9FuMuDyic8QSU3XuDcmrukEMXhF4_qWhiXVIH4cxU-f_4/s1600/DSCN2404.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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We left SB and drove up the 101 towards Monterey, Big Sur and the coastal highway. The coastal drive is slow but beautiful!<br />
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Our first major stop was the <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25207" target="_blank">Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park</a>, on the Big Sur coast. <br />
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As you can see from the photos, this is a magical place. Here is a <a href="http://youtu.be/VJH6uAG1SoQ" target="_blank">short video</a> as well.<br />
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We capped off a beautiful day with a delicious dinner at <a href="http://www.juliasofpacificgrove.com/" target="_blank">Julia's in Pacific Grove</a> and then a sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Earlier this year we saw a beautiful sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean in FL, what a nice companion experience.<br />
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The next day brought cloudy skies but our day was brightened by a 3 hour guided kayaking adventure in Monterey Bay. We saw (and smelled) seals, saw and (heard) sea lions, and were treated to a playful otter.<br />
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After spending the morning paddling, we went back down the coast to another magical place - <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571" target="_blank">Point Lobos State Natural Reserve</a>. Again we were treated to stunning views of water, surf and rocky coast with lots of wildlife. We decided to eat dinner at Julia's again because it was so good!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqV7CDK5JnfNWo4eVZCJpmfznTFC85ngGJHdbCJ1LK5TWTvtoIDfhaYYvAc4AwHlAdvZDnIuyM3V2OmCMCAMHCob01bklJqS_0f0w9iii2bk32lNJWLI2_gPI7aVVNfW-19GSeKZ54Y9k/s1600/DSCN2452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqV7CDK5JnfNWo4eVZCJpmfznTFC85ngGJHdbCJ1LK5TWTvtoIDfhaYYvAc4AwHlAdvZDnIuyM3V2OmCMCAMHCob01bklJqS_0f0w9iii2bk32lNJWLI2_gPI7aVVNfW-19GSeKZ54Y9k/s1600/DSCN2452.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a>On Sunday we checked out the famous <a href="http://www.pebblebeach.com/activities/explore-the-monterey-peninsula/17-mile-drive" target="_blank">Pebble Beach 17 mile drive</a> and then headed up to Palo Alto to visit Marcy, Levent and baby Derin. Thanks to Levent we enjoyed a deliciously prepared lunch and spent some time catching up. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittKRtkoV_pmCWvMcKaq6CTuRJK2mxrityMIfgVzc7O0gNAbKlw0uAhZBkbMhszZg5J6GgMNzQZORHLd8dQb5IZrwfSbV7Gxl1zOWqvbtxBQwGpA9wrbOdkUdgQ7nzGaN_JEQxGQhN48k/s1600/DSCN2467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittKRtkoV_pmCWvMcKaq6CTuRJK2mxrityMIfgVzc7O0gNAbKlw0uAhZBkbMhszZg5J6GgMNzQZORHLd8dQb5IZrwfSbV7Gxl1zOWqvbtxBQwGpA9wrbOdkUdgQ7nzGaN_JEQxGQhN48k/s1600/DSCN2467.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />
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<br />Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-50000492628368191882014-06-10T09:31:00.000-07:002014-06-10T09:37:23.887-07:00Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part I<div class="p1">
<b>Randall & Debbie’s California Vacation, Part I</b></div>
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<b>LA & Santa Barbara</b></div>
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We (along with Mr. Duck and the turtle) just came back from two glorious weeks out on the left coast. We drove (well Randy did the driving) over 1600 miles up and down California coast. We visited friends, ate lots of great vegan food, took many photographs of beautiful vistas and wildlife and had a wonderful time!</div>
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We started in LA with lunch at <a href="http://www.sageveganbistro.com/" target="_blank">Sage Vegan Bistro</a> and experienced our first <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/" target="_blank">AirBnB</a>, a loft apt. right downtown. We were surprised at how vibrant downtown LA was on a holiday weekend but happy that there wasn't that much traffic.</div>
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We loved the art deco architecture and did a self guided tour. One of our favorite spots was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Oviatt_Building" target="_blank">Oviatt building</a>. From there we explored the beautiful downtown library and the stunning <a href="http://www.millenniumhotels.com/usa/millenniumbiltmorelosangeles/" target="_blank">Biltmore Hotel</a> where we went for a nightcap on our 2nd evening in town.</div>
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The best part about LA was spending time with Judy. We met for dinner at <a href="http://www.crossroadskitchen.com/" target="_blank">Crossroads</a> an expensive but tasty all vegan restaurant on Melrose.</div>
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It was great to catch up!<br />
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Up early on a quiet Memorial Day morning in LA, we headed to the renovated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Los_Angeles)" target="_blank">Union Station</a>.</div>
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With a few hours to kill before meeting Judy again for lunch, we decided to go to Hollywood and look at the stars.<br />
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The we met with Judy in Santa Monica and ate at our favorite, <a href="https://www.nativefoods.com/" target="_blank">Native Foods Cafe</a>.</div>
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We then went down to the famous Santa Monica Pier and had our first look at the Pacific in years.<br />
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The next day we hit the <a href="http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/focus_ansel_adams/" target="_blank">Getty Center Museum</a> where we saw a photography exhibit and walked around the beautiful grounds. Later we had lunch in the Westwood Native Foods before heading up the coast to Santa Barbara and our long awaited visit with Carol and Artie in their beautiful new home on the west coast.<br />
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Santa Barbara, the real life home of Sue Grafton and the setting for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsey_Millhone" target="_blank">Kinsey Millhone's</a> Santa Teresa. </div>
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I had to do the alphabet series tour and with our hosts Artie and Carol we succeeded in seeing many of Kinsey's haunts.</div>
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Debbie also got to catch up with her high school friend Doris who lives nearby with her husband and three children.<br />
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To be continued...</div>
Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-37846028098518532412013-07-16T16:01:00.003-07:002013-07-16T16:01:31.422-07:00Keeping us safe...So Edward Snowden revealed the vast nature of domestic spying through leaks of classified documents in the Guardian newspaper. I appreciate your efforts, Mr. Snowden. President Obama says that this domestic spying is necessary to keep us safe - bullshit, but further I believe that it isn't even meant to keep us safe. The real purpose is to keep tabs on dissent and to keep the <b>corporatocracy</b> safe from anyone who might oppose it. President Obama represents the corporatocracy and all of its tentacles - big banks, multi-national corporations, the military-industrial-security-complex, industrial agriculture, medicine for profit, etc. In fact, he is probably one of the finest supporters of the corporatocracy ever, mainly because he pretends that he isn't (and a lot of people believe him). By dividing what little opposition to corporate rule remaining he is doing a better job than his Republican rivals in promoting the existing power structure. I told many people this before the last election but most thought I was crazy.<br />
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Firstly, I'm not counting on the government to keep me safe. There was a period of time when the government made some modest efforts to regulate toxic chemicals in our foods, drugs and consumer products, safety in workplaces etc. but the whole regulatory framework has been taken over by corporate minions and underfunded to nonfunctionality. Presidents don't try to keep us out of wars either, in fact they actively work to get us into them. This is why the founders put the ability to declare war in the hands of the congress - Presidents have found many ways around this little detail though and we have been on a permanent war footing as long as any of us can remember. Terrorism is the new thing to scare us into keeping the purse strings open for the military but I don't expect that the government will protect me from terrorism either. In the twisted logic of the way our system now works, acts of terrorism further the goals of the military-industrial-security-complex by promoting fear even if any single citizen has a much greater risk of being struck by lightening. I have more fear of being labeled a domestic terrorist for resisting the corporatocracy than I have of harm from the kinds of terrorists I'm supposed to be afraid of. Overall, I'm far more worried about my own government (police overreach, domestic spying, etc.) than any supposed threat from abroad.<br />
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Just to be perfectly clear, I think it's fine for the feds to obtain warrants and gather information when there is evidence of criminal activity. This isn't about the ability of the government to fight crime or even terrorism - it's about the ability of the government to keep tabs on dissent. This desire and in fact this practice is not at all new. The government has been keeping tabs on dissenters for over a century and probably longer (as long as we have pursued an empire, I guess). What's new is that the technology now allows for massive dragnets that collect and store an incredible amount of data on virtually everyone. So much so that enormous new data centers are being built to cope with the flood of personal data that's being intercepted. Algorithms look for keywords and associations and highlight individuals for further scrutiny. Of course it never ends with merely keeping tabs on dissenters, they are targeted for retaliation in many forms - up to and including arrest and assassination - check out what happened to Michael Hastings.<br />
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Government informants join groups of dissenters to report back, disrupt and sometimes even plan and execute protests in such a way as to allow for easy prosecution. Agent provocateur's instigate or commit acts of violence in order to have a pretext for police intervention. People can be blacklisted, held back from promotion or denied employment with no knowledge and certainly no recourse. Chris Hedges gives a good history of this kind of government retaliation in his book "Death of the Liberal Class", which I highly recommend. Even if there were no overt targeting of dissenters, the very fact that the government is listening in on our conversations has a chilling effect on speech. None of this history is taught in school so young people are far more likely to accept pervasive government spying because they're unaware of how the government has used and abused information about dissenters in the past.<br />
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Anyway, I figure I'll save the hard-working government agents a little time and trouble and state right here that I'm opposed to the corporatocracy (if they haven't figured it out already...). <br />
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I oppose overseas wars, the bloated Pentagon budget, CIA interference in other countries, the so-called global war on terror, domestic spying without a clear indication of criminal activity, private prisons, the war on drugs, the militarization of domestic law enforcement and the war on whistleblowers.<br />
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I oppose the desperate attempts to extract the last remaining fossil fuels using environmentally damaging methods - including drilling in the Arctic, tar sands and hydraulic fracturing or fracking.<br />
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I oppose the profit driven health care system and the private insurance companies which have been protected by Obamacare.
I oppose Monsanto and the corporate domination of our food supply.<br />
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I oppose the too-big-to-fail banks and the casino-capitalism of Wall Street.<br />
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I oppose corporate personhood and everything that it implies, especially corporate participation in elections.<br />
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<b>A better world is possible</b> - free of corporate domination, based on renewable energy, local agriculture, equality of opportunity, sustainability and true justice through the rule of law - where the laws are written to protect people, not the wealthy elites. I fear it's too late but my conscience dictates that I speak out anyway. <br />
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<br />Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-64475091746508422372013-05-22T06:52:00.000-07:002013-05-22T06:52:22.307-07:00My new blog homeI have decided to ditch my old blog platform and blog here on my Google account. I also have a photography blog on my <a href="http://randallcollura.zenfolio.com/blog">Zenfolio</a> page. I will try and migrate some of my old content to this site but there doesn't seem to be an easy way to do this. I will probably just put up some of the more popular posts.Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-68797226920335238222013-01-29T06:23:00.000-08:002013-05-22T06:40:33.629-07:0020 years gone...It's hard to believe it but my father passed away 20 years ago. He was 79 years old, which is pretty good for someone who had cancer in his youth and many other health challenges along the way. This year is the centenary of his birth. Vincent (Vincenzo and sometimes Jimmy) Collura was born August 21st 1913 in Pittston PA the oldest son of Onofrio and Maria (Alba) Collura.
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/VincentCollura-youth.jpg" alt="Vincent as a boy" title="Vincent as a boy" /></p>
Recently, my cousin sent me links to some wonderful old family photos. Here is my father with his mom and siblings taken in the mid 1930s - his father died in a coal mine accident about 10 years before this photo was taken:
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/ColluraFamily-PittstonPA.jpg" alt="Collura family" title="Collura family" /></p>
This photo was taken in the same location as one I had <a href="http://www.allrandall.com/Vincent.html">restored</a> a while ago. Vincent is on his uncle Jimmy Alba's shoulders.
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/JimmyAlba&VincentCollura.jpg" alt="Jimmy & Vincent" title="Jimmy & Vincent" /></p>
My dad spent a fair amount of time exercising and trying to keep healthy.
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/V_standing.jpg" alt="Vincent standing" title="Vincent standing" /></p>
He met my mother in the 1940's. Here is an early photo of them together with my Aunt Teresa:
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/Muriel&VincentCollura&Tea.jpg" alt="Teresa, Vincent & Muriel" title="Teresa, Vincent & Muriel" /></p>
They were married in 1945:
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/Wedding_1.jpg" alt="Wedding Vincent & Muriel" title="Wedding Vincent & Muriel" /></p>
Vincent worked in the coal mines in Pennsylvania when he was young but later became a barber. Here he is in his barber shop in South Fallsburg NY:
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/V-Shop.jpg" alt="Barber shop" title="Barber shop" /></p>
Here he is with the heavyweight champion <a href="http://www.rockymarciano.net/">Rocky Marciano</a>:
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/V_Rocky.jpg" alt="With Rocky" title="With Rocky" /></p>
Here he is towards the end of his life with me:
<p><img src="http://www.allrandall.com/images/Dad_Randall.jpg" alt="With me" title="With me" /></p>
I guess I will always miss my dad - after 20 years I still think about him a lot. He touched many lives in that barber shop, telling people about healthy eating or selling them vitamins. I hope to post more about my dad as his centenary year continues.
Cheers!Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-65136119192898386842013-01-21T05:11:00.000-08:002013-07-24T05:12:09.839-07:00I don't toe the line OR why I'm no longer calling myself a vegan<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">I have gradually come to the realization that I no longer wish to be associated with veganism in its current incarnation. I no longer wish to call myself a vegan, promote veganism or be identified with the vegan movement. As divorces go, this one is pretty much a mutual decision. You see, all I have to do is have a pint of Guinness or eat some bread that contains honey and I'm automatically kicked out of the vegan cult, I mean club, anyway.</span></div>
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I have been a vegetarian my entire life, I stopped eating eggs and dairy products in the 1970s when my mom became active in the vegetarian movement and I will continue to eat a plant-based diet but the word vegan will only be wielded for clarity when ordering food. My decision is mainly due to the attitudes of (some, well many) vegans I have encountered during my vegetarian advocacy. Veganism isn't just about food or buying shoes, it carries with it a whole suite of beliefs and ideas which I do not subscribe to. These include the idea that "speciesism" is an evil on par with racism and sexism, a belief that any kind of animal welfare legislation is counterproductive and an insistence on purity which borders on an obsessive-compulsive disorder.</div>
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I don't think vegans have any idea just how ridiculous they sound when they throw out the word speciesist. You don't have to be a biologist to realize that real differences exist in the animal kingdom. The idea that you should ignore these differences doesn't make a lot of sense to most people.</div>
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What, really, is the meaning of speciesism? If it means that humans are in any and all cases to be given consideration while non-humans are not than I'm not a speciesist. On the other hand, I do differentiate between species and in this sense I am a speciesist. I can tell the difference between a puppy and a child and between a chicken and a hookworm. I believe that those differences mean that we should treat these animals somewhat differently. Call me crazy, but I don't believe that mosquitos should ever have rights. There is a nice discussion of speciesism here: <span style="color: #1325ab;"><a href="http://www.carpevegan.com/?p=3449">http://www.carpevegan.com/?p=3449</a></span></div>
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Not that most people think consistently about their relations with animals - it always amazes me how people can show so much love and affection towards a pet and yet eat animals that are just as intelligent and capable of suffering and feeling pain. But when ethnic hatreds are stirred up people can turn on and kill long-time neighbors so I guess this is just one of the unfortunate aspects of human nature that we have to accept and try to deal with.</div>
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A good part of this also has to do with the concept of so-called "abolitionist animal-rights" as espoused by Gary L. Francione and others - <a href="http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/"><span style="color: #1325ab;">http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/</span></a>. These folks are opposed to any kind of animal welfare legislation saying that the "welfarist approach" has failed and making animal agriculture less cruel will only prolong its use. Using this twisted "logic", abolitionist AR advocates are OK with cruel treatment of farm animals because it advances their ultimate cause. Perhaps it's even useful to have cruel treatment of farm animals alive today to *potentially* have a future where all animal use is abolished. I can't agree with this line of thinking because suffering is what I'm opposed to and why I'm a vegetarian. And how exactly has the abolitionist approach succeeded? Like it or not, Temple Grandin has reduced animal suffering more than any abolitionist vegan and she works for the meat industry!</div>
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I have come to believe that differences between individuals who would all love to see a future free of animal cruelty and exploitation comes down less to a difference of tactics and more to differences in personality. It drives me nuts that abolitionist vegans will say things like "it's not about purity" when it so clearly is. However, the idea that you can completely remove any traces of animal products and animal exploitation from your lifestyle is quite frankly wrong. Furthermore, your personal purity, in eating, lifestyle and ideology will turn off many more people than it will inspire.</div>
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Veganism has evolved into somewhat of a cult, you are vegan if you follow the rules that are agreed to within the vegan community about what constitutes acceptable foods, purchases etc. If you stray from this ideal people within the community will be offended if you call yourself vegan. Questioning the particular choices which are acceptable and not acceptable is generally frowned upon. It's nice to see that a recent VegNews has done an article about palm oil - a vegan alternative that is very damaging to the environment. I'm sorry but the world is just a lot more complex than the vegan = good and non-vegan = bad worldview tries to encapsulate.</div>
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I will continue to think for myself, eat and promote a mainly plant-based diet but I won't be calling myself a vegan.</div>
Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-16084347344025851892012-06-06T05:15:00.000-07:002013-07-24T05:26:30.586-07:00Transit of Venus 2012<br />
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Yesterday I was fortunate enough to see the second transit of Venus this century and the last one for 105 years. This <a href="http://www.allrandall.com/Transit.html"><span style="color: #1325ab;">page</span></a> has my photos from the 2004 transit. Several days ago, looking at the long-term weather forecast, I didn't think I'd be able to see anything. It looked like the entire Northeast was going to be enveloped in rain and clouds for a week. I had wanted to travel to Hawaii to see the transit and when it became clear that that wasn't going to happen I thought about traveling to the West Coast. However, financial circumstances would not allow for a trip of this nature. I did manage to buy a small telescope specifically for the transit. Neither of the telescopes I had had a long enough focal length to get a good view of Venus as it moved cross the face of the sun. I wound up getting an Orion Apex 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope and made a custom solar filter with B<a href="http://www.baader-planetarium.com/sofifolie/sofi_start_e.htm"><span style="color: #1325ab;">AADER AstroSolar™ Safety Film</span></a>.</div>
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As the transit approached, I was glued to the weather forecasts trying to see if a break in the clouds might occur someplace close by. Yesterday morning started out gray and cloudy in the Albany area, however, it did seem that to the Northwest there might be some clearing. I decided to try and drive to a location where it might be a little bit more likely to see the sun. I had just been reading about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Le_Gentil"><span style="color: #1325ab;">Guillaume Le Gentil</span></a>, a French astronomer who "spent eight years travelling in an attempt to observe ... the transits (in the 1700's). His unsuccessful journey led to him losing his wife and possessions and being declared dead."</div>
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I was a lot more fortunate, I wound up driving to Oswego NY and found clear skies on the shores of Lake Ontario at the SUNY Oswego campus where I'd spent one semester as a freshman in 1978. I met a nice student named Joe who was also down at the lake for the transit and he helped me carry my equipment down to the water's edge. Even though it was very cloudy elsewhere in New York, over the lake it was perfectly clear. I was able to set up the telescope and get everything ready before the transit started. I wound up confusing the location where Venus would first touch the sun but as soon as a little bit of it became visible I was able to get some nice shots.</div>
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My setup:</div>
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I decided I would head home and try and catch the sun as it set along the highway. It was a bit of a risk as I knew it was cloudy along the drive and there was no guarantee that I would be able to stop and set up my tripod in order to catch the sunset. I kept one eye on my side view mirror as I was driving home and was lucky enough to hit a Thruway rest stop at just the right time with a view of the sunset. I didn't have very long but was able to catch a few shots and a short movie. For the sunset shots I didn't set up the telescope but used my standard 100-400 Canon lens. All the shots of the transit were taken with my Canon T3i.</div>
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Here are the locations that the shots were taken:</div>
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SUNY Oswego lake shore: 43.455534, -76.544658<span style="font: 15.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>Oneida Travel Plaza: 43.12552, -75.41611</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXf68v4S_TI">Finally a short video taken at sunset</a><span style="color: black;">.</span></div>
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Cheers!</div>
Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105385313160497150.post-71709525338824376672012-05-04T05:29:00.000-07:002013-07-24T05:35:23.151-07:00Should we be concerned about plants?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">A recent essay in the New York Times (<a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/if-peas-can-talk-should-we-eat-them/"><span style="color: #1325ab;">If Peas Can Talk, Should We Eat Them? by Michael Marder</span></a>) about the "ethical implications" stemming from research on pea plant "intelligence" prompted me to finish writing this post. This isn't really a new story, as the essay points out, as speculation of this kind has been going on since at least the 1970s. I started the post after an online exchange with someone about virtually the same topic. Not coincidentally, they're both philosophers.</span></div>
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The NYT essay details some recent findings about how plants communicate. The research was done on pea plants and as with most plant communication, involves sending out biochemical signals which other plants respond to. Again, this is not particularly new but as a biologist I am impressed with the complexity of interactions between plants. Indeed, I'm happy go on record conceding that plants are wonderfully complex organisms that are capable of rudimentary communication, biochemical memory etc. - for a review see <a href="http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/news/PlantBehavior.pdf"><span style="color: #1325ab;">this</span></a>. However, it's mystifying to me that anyone who has taken high school biology and can think clearly would believe this raises any kind of ethical issue.</div>
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In the first place, we don't kill pea plants to eat them (even though there are some plants that we do consume this way). We cultivate pea plants and then harvest the peas. Peas are how pea plants reproduce - the plants live only one growing season, produce seeds and then die. The seeds are dispersed in the evolutionary hope that some of them will find a suitable location to sprout the following year and complete the cycle. When humans intervene in this process by gathering peas in the summer and then planting a portion of them the following spring we are doing the plants a favor. Their existence as plants is unaltered by our intervention except for the better. We protect them, fertilize them, water them and distribute their seeds widely. I'm not a philosopher, but I don't see any "ethical implications" here.</div>
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As it turns out, the vast majority of plant foods that humans eat fall into this or a very similar category. Fruits and vegetables are similarly produced by plants so that animals will be attracted to them and in the process of consuming them will disperse the seeds they contain. All grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and most vegetables that are consumed by people are produced by plants for the purposes of reproduction and don't involve killing the plants. So far, as a vegan, my conscience is pretty clear. Meanwhile, the author of the NYT essay is waxing poetic about how serious this all is - "Inquiring into justifications for consuming vegetal beings thus reconceived, we reach one of the final frontiers of dietary ethics." Seriously? Is this the best contemporary philosophy has to offer? Thankfully it isn't as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer"><span style="color: #1325ab;">Peter Singer's</span></a> work demonstrates.</div>
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Secondly, even when we consume plants, such as lettuce or other leafy greens, where the whole plant is eaten there is absolutely no indication that plants suffer or feel pain by any reasonable stretch of the imagination. Animals, on the other hand, can show very clear indications of feeling pain and suffering while being raised and killed as "food animals" by humans. At least this is what I thought... During an exchange with someone on Facebook I learned how drastically "contemporary philosophy" and some fuzzy thinking can be used to turn these fairly simple observations around.</div>
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It started with one of the many vegetarian/vegan posts that are put up on Facebook (at least when you are friends with as many vegetarian/vegans as I am). I will try to paraphrase the other fellow's stance but it's somewhat difficult as he seemed mainly intent on challenging other peoples' assumptions and justifications rather than clearly setting out his own. He cited similar research on plants to that reported in the NYT essay and indicated that if we were to observe plants using time lapse photography they might seem more animal like in their responses. This seemed to be the basis for a belief that "Life is life" and "If it's wrong to eat a cow, how about an insect? If it's wrong to eat an insect, then how about a piece of fruit?" Really?</div>
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It seemed that none of the arguments I made that might differentiate a cow from a lettuce plant were valid. Who knew that the fact that we are so much more closely related evolutionarily to cows than lettuce plants and that humans and cows have such similar nervous systems and physiologies is no basis to believe that they feel pain and suffer like we do? The observation that cows seem to react in a similar way to the same kinds of stimuli that humans would react to is also a completely invalid argument. All those millions of years of evolution developing our "theory of mind" was completely worthless by this line of thinking. Frankly, as a scientist I was a little taken aback by the arrogance of his comments, as if philosophers were the only people who could think clearly about anything. Scientists use methods all the time that are known to potentially give misleading conclusions - statistics comes to mind. We know what the potential flaws are and use other methods to make sure we are not being led astray. The alternative is to throw up your hands and say that we can never know anything, hummmm......</div>
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I guess if someone could produce a time lapse video of a lettuce plant "running" away from an approaching hungry vegan I might be a little more convinced (how would a lettuce plant run anyway?). Yet, if we had such a video why would this indicate that plants are experiencing fear when very clear evidence of animals doing this is insufficient for philosophers to accept that animals experience the same emotions as we do? Why the acceptance of potential plant sensitivity and the utter rejection of animal sensitivity? Once again, if this is an example of what contemporary philosophy has to offer, I am not impressed!</div>
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Indeed, you might think that people who seem to be so sensitive to the subtle reactions of plants would be constructing a diet that would minimize this kind of trauma - perhaps only eating fruits and seeds, but you'd be wrong. These "concerns" about plants seem to be mainly an attempt to create a false equivalence between plants and animals regarding ethical considerations. But rather than this leading to more ethical eating it seems to lead to a complete abdication of any ethical concerns when it comes to eating - after a long hard day of philosophical consideration of these matters they are free to eat whatever they want. "Yes waiter, I'd like the veal cutlets and some foie gras as an appetizer..."</div>
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Even if you believe that plants are capable of all the kinds of responses that animals display this is no justification to eat animals. As I have demonstrated above, most plant foods don't involve killing plants or even disrupting their life cycle (if you are really that concerned) and producing them certainly doesn't involve the kind of pain, suffering and early death that "food" animals endure. I don't know the motives of these people but the fact that these kinds of arguments lead to abandoning ethical behavior when it comes to diet rather than informing it gives me some clue.</div>
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However, even though I'm a life-long vegetarian and decades-long vegan I don't believe that my diet is free of any ethical issues. I know about the animals that are killed in industrial monoculture farming - it's still better to eat the corn than feed a whole bunch of it to animals and then eat the animals. I know that people work many backbreaking hours to pick fruits and vegetables so I try to purchase more local and organic foods but I know what I do is not perfect. I feel very lucky that I live at a time that allows me to mainly avoid animal cruelty for my daily sustenance. Further, I don't consider myself morally superior to people around me that choose to eat differently than I do. People make food choices every day and even though I know I can do better I am comfortable with mine. What I'm not concerned about, however, are any "ethical implications" involving eating plant foods - you shouldn't be either.</div>
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Cheers!</div>
Randall Collurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01244516330771611476noreply@blogger.com0