Eyepoet's Spiritual Technology eZine - "The enclosed instructions are only the starting point for innovation."

Jesus' Big Bag of Love II

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:01:29 -0500

but then
as eye grew older
eye learned
that His Big Bag of Love

was just imagination
(why, it wasn't even in the Bible!)
and that love was
too important
too scarce

to be squandered
it had to be rationed
& given only to those who
were good enough

who obeyed
and eye've had trouble
sleeping
ever since.

Jesus' Big Bag of Love

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:43:41 -0500

when Eye was little
after my prayers
Eye would rock & smile myself to sleep
because Eye knew
Jesus kept this Big Bag of Love
right there
above His Head

and whenever Eye needed some
He would give me enough
to fill my little heart
and His Bag would never ever
run out.

-Jesse Alexander

What's in your bag: Preparing for Life on a New Planet

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 04:28:14 -0400

By Jesse Alexander

A Sermon, Sunday, April 17, 2011

Readings

“Whether the response is coming from local or state officials—or both—most emergency management agencies and government plans assume it may take 24 to 72 hours to get assistance to individuals, particularly those who remain in affected areas. Consequently, successful emergency management can, in part, depend on individuals’ […] preparedness to survive independently for the 24 to 72 hours that responders expect it will take to first deliver assistance.” From “A FAILURE OF INITIATIVE Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina U.S. House of Representatives

GG1 Electric Locomotive

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 08:27:16 -0500

for Wilmore O. Henry
(a found poem, from the The Encyclopedia of Trains & Locomotives by C. J. Riley)

despite the ravages of the depression
     magnificent
     elegant
one of the most handsome of any type
     revolutionary

tremendous acceleration and ability to storm up the grades
at no loss of speed
extraordinary
impressive
clearly superior

served faithfully for many years
an unqualified success
outlasted everything else
an exemplary locomotive
holds a very special place in railroad history.

following your bliss ain't easy

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:38:09 -0500

The conventional wisdom says that following our "bliss" is the same as picking the path of least resistance--that the "right" path is the same as the easy path!

I've always had doubts about this story. It just doesn't ring true.

I'm reminded of the story my father told about an acquaintance who was a classical pianist. This pianist didn't have perfect pitch. In fact, he didn't show a particular musical talent as a child. And he had to practice 3 times harder than his presumably talented colleagues to achieve the same performance level.

Using the current conventional wisdom we would ask "Why did he bother?" We would draw the conclusion that he was obviously "not made to be" a concert pianist, and that he should choose another line of work more suited to his "path".

My wireless mesh network for emergency communications

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:08:35 -0500

For the past few years (off and on) I've been looking for better and faster (as in data rate or bandwidth) to support emergency communications. And, I'm particularly interested in the self healing, robust nature of wireless mesh networks.

Years ago there was a lot of buzz about the High-speed multimedia radio (HSMM) (AKA Hinternet), but that has since died down (at least in the ARRL) because the interest of some well-connected amateur radio operators in supporting a for-profit Wireless ISP model. As well, international organizations like, Inveneo, are providing mesh-based HSMM service in support of NGO/NPO relief efforts in Haiti--handling more emergency, priority, and "health and welfare" traffic for served agencies than amateur radio.

"The Secret" is out, It fails the sniff test

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:15:58 -0400

sniff-test: (noun) the test of an electronic circuit during which the experimenter applies power and attempts to detect the success or failure of the circuit by the absence or presence of the smell of something burning. Usually the scent of a component burning indicates failure.

Barbara Ehrenreich, in her new book, has busted "the magical thinking" of The Secret wide open during the tour for her new book Bright-sided
How the Relentless Promotion of Positive
Thinking Has Undermined America. And given permission to cynics like myself to air our long held misgivings and problems with the fad and the book.

Obama's Award, America's wake up call

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:59:50 -0400

There has been entirely too much controversy about whether or not President Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, and not enough clear and critical thinking. Apparently pundits get paid by the word.

I find it hilariously hypocritical of those on the right to hold up Martin Luther King as an example of the "ideal" recipient of the award, when only "yesterday" they opposed just about everything Dr. King supported.

I'm thoroughly enjoying listening and watching them flail about their lack of influence over the Nobel committee.

As well, people on the left are pissed at the President because he has continued the country's involvement in two wars despite his campaign promises.

why i shot my muse

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00:59 -0400

he
was too black & scary &

he
lied
& told the truth at inopportune times
& inopportune ways &

My FiOS Fiasco: Corporate Anti-pattern for quality of service

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:26:05 -0400

For those of you that have not been following me on twitter or facebook, I've been attempting to get Verizon to repair FiOS service to my house for almost two and a half weeks now.

I'm solving this problem by switching to service from a competitor. But that's not important. What is important is that I had a chance to observe some patterns of behavior that have prevented Verizon from solving my problem.

Everything I know about Technical Communication I learned from Heathkit!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:11:21 -0400

Think about this: a 15-year-old kid with no prior experience with electronics builds a transmitter and matching Variable Frequency Oscillator (think single frequency crystal replacement device) with only a saddle-bound manual to guide him.

It's not important that during the process of building the transmitter that this kid incorrectly wired the power supply for 240VAC because, in his 15 year old mind, configuring the kit that way (instead of for the correct 115VAC) would make the transmitter "more powerful."

What is important point is that the Heathkit manual was written and illustrated so well that this teenager was able to troubleshoot the problem, retrace his steps, correct the wiring, and successfully finish the transmitter (a classic DX-60B)!

care first...then insurance

Thu, 28 May 2009 09:50:41 -0400

Last night Caryl and I attended the Community Summit on Health Care in Prince George's County. To say that we were disappointed with the direction the meeting took would be an understatement. The panel offered no immediate solutions and presented a Massachusetts-esk mandatory coverage plan that, like the Obama plan, still keeps the corporate scoundrels in charge. In fact it insures (pun intended) the continued profiteering of the insurance companies because it gives them the entire population of Maryland with little or no strings attached.

Unitarian Universalism is the Faith of the Future

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:02:21 -0400

Ask a group of Unitarian Universalists why they became part of the faith--or movement as some would say, and you will often hear stories about early traumas at the hands of abusive or neglectful religious leaders, teachers, or laity. Indeed, I have my own stories about the invasion of my old church by a series of right-wing minsters that eventually succeeded in turning it into a house of hate and fear. But I would not be telling the whole story if I offered escape as the only reason for "signing the book" and becoming an UU.

I may have come to UU as a refugee, but I chose to become an UU because I share in the faith's contagious, optimistic belief in a diverse, positive, and just future.

COBRA bites!

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:23:25 -0500

In the past few weeks, Caryl and I have been on CNN and NPR talking about the problems with our COBRA health insurance. I was glad to have done these stories, but I feel the need to revise and extend a few details that fell off on the cutting floor when they were produced:

We're paying $1140.00/month, not $1300.00
I am underemployed (part-time seeking full time), not unemployed
We are still on COBRA because private insurance costs are as high or higher. We are told that this is because of our pre-existing conditions: height/weight ratios, high blood pressure, and the fact that we're over 40.
COBRA will end for us in July 2009. At which time we will be forced to take "high risk pool" insurance with the Maryland Health Insurance Program.

Networking Ho's and the Web 2.0 gone mad?

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:07:43 -0500

I first got involved with Linkedin.com because many of my colleagues at a former software client were connected and it seemed like a great way to stay in touch with them after I was laid off. It was...and then some!

Since then, I've found colleagues that I had lost track of years ago, connected with people I hadn't heard from since college, and added new business contacts and friends to my list! What great fun!

But slowly but surely, I began to get connection invitations from more and more people who I came to call "Networking Ho's":