This is the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei’s first telescope observations and the goal is to improve science understanding in general with a focus on making the skies easily available for everyone.

The challenge was given out: a cheap quality, usable in the city scope with “wow: factor. The prototype looks great: see this you-tube clip of the moon. The kits are estimated at cost of around $10 to $20, with low cost tripods available.

 The IYA will also feature “100 hours of Astronomy” during the first week of April, including live web casts and observing events and a down loadable set of high-resolution images. For each month, (January’s topic is telescopes, space probes and Venus is the object) there will be a topic and a celestial object of the month.

 They are also highlighting the problem of light pollution.
This looks to be a great thing for children and adults alike~ I’ll try to keep everyone  appraised….unless I am spellbound sky watching!Keep an eye on this web site for further information.

“For all knowledge and wonder (which is the seed of knowledge) is an impression of pleasure in itself.” Francis bacon

 “Culture” a DVD Documentary review~~~

I highly recommend this documentary, it will take a 1 hour 15 min. from your life and leave you disquieted.
From the hand of Lynn Herschman Leeson, an iconic artist in her own right, the story follows the ending of one life and the tribulations of another.~~~~~~~

One morning in May of 2004, Dr. Steven Kurtz woke to find his wife, Hope Kurtz dead next to him. In a dream, he moved to call 911 to summon help only to find he called up a nightmare.
The EMT who answered that call notices lab equipment, Petri dishes with cultures growing in them notifies the Buffalo PD, who alert the FBI. Within hours, the house is full of hazmat teams, FBI and Dr. Kurtz is under suspicion of “bio-terrorism” and the murder of his wife. An agent notices a slip of paper with Arabic writing on it ~ An Art opening invitation, Kurtz explains~ but this is all enough to whisk him away for questioning ,for some 22 hours.
He is released and after one week, the coroner finds Hope died from congenital heart failure, the art invitation is just that, hazmat finds no health risk to the public, the BPD finds the lab equipment is legal to own, the FBI finds no bio-terrorism. The Petri dishes? Contain only bacteria commonly found in live yogurt.
Dr.  Kurtz belongs to an art consortium call, Critical Art Ensemble, that using science, interactive shows tries to alert the public to the dangers of Genetically Modified Foods.
No harm, no foul one would think…..but the government brought charges against Dr. Kurtz and his colleague Dr. Robert Ferrell for “bio-terrorism”. These were then dropped to “mail fraud”. Due to Dr Ferrell’s health problems (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 3 strokes he suffered after being indicted), he pled guilty to a misdemeanor in February of 2008, was fined $500 and unsupervised released. At the time, the judge remarked he regretted it was the most lenient sentence he could give him.
On June 11 2008, Dr Kurtz had all charges dropped against him,the judge ruling the case “insufficient on its face”. For four years Steven Kurtz faced what can only be described a nightmare. May Hope rest in peace.
As to aspects of the Patriot Act~ it was clearly at work here in enhanced sentence levels and fines. However, as the Patriot Act can be used against individuals without their knowledge~ they and we can never know for sure. See here for further information and legal documents.



 

Sometimes fate intervenes ~ from the dictionary a handy definition of the word, paying heed to the # 1, 3 and 5 definitions for they paint the story of  the past few weeks and my “disappearance”.  

in·ter·vene [ìntər vn]
(past in·ter·vened, past participle in·ter·vened, present participle in·ter·ven·ing, 3rd person present singular in·ter·venes)
vi
1.  act to produce change: to take some action or get involved in something in order to change what is happening, especially to prevent something undesirable
the referee had to intervene to stop the fight
 
2.  happen so as to impede: to occur and as a result stop or delay something from happening  
3.  elapse: to elapse between one point in time and another
the intervening years
 
4.  be situated in between: to be located between two things  
5.  break into a conversation: to break into a conversation or discussion  

[Late 16th century. From Latin intervenire, literally “to come between,” from venire (see venue).]
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


In the midst of  interpersonal dispute, as unfortunately can happen in the wide world of opinion, I found myself ,in (self)righteous anger, working to produce change all right…..Negative change. Not my want, will, or spiritual direction in “normal” times, but I am all too human and indignities heaped upon others here~ my friends ~ found me a ready to fight and very mad in every sense of that word. However, chance, my better self, the storm, old wiring or as I like to believe, my Kelsey watching over my spirit … pulled my Internet/Phone connection to the world in mid battle. Coincidently  just 2 days before the anniversary of his death. Fitting. That basically covers  the definitions #1 and 3.

As is my want, I spent that day reflecting on the gifts K. sent and still sends to me. I paused, took some time to recollect, reconsider, and find many regrets. The harsh clarity of events showed me only my own stark reflection, my sins, not another’s. Sure, certain events were disgusting, base and so very sad …but as always, the true spiritual warrior’s battle is with oneself. All I have is my reaction; the rest is not mine to control or even deal with. My wish is for better mental health for us all, each and every one to borrow a phrase.

I would like to apologize to the community here~ I found myself forgetting  that a complex (sometimes very weathered) human resides in all of us. We all are a “family”, each has a back-story, personal and unique ways of seeing and being in this world. We do not agree, we bicker, even get downright angry with “the other”…and I found myself falling into the trap of becoming what I disliked in others. I noticed many years ago that the “thing” someone else did that drove me mad, was likely in my own heart and manner, I hope one day to fully realize that lesson for the last time. If I have offended any here, and I likely have,  please accept my sincerest apologies. I will likely fail, yet again, but it is my madness, my nature to try to behave as an adult, not some wild creature.

Being civil with each other has never been more important, even as we disagree. With heartbreak I noted the “Santa “ murders in Covina, the Christmas Eve shooting locally, the rash of senseless behavior in old and young alike and can not help but wonder if there is a correlation. Society is bound by law; custom, individual honor and these are slender threads at best. You or I may have no real affect on the next perpetrator of violence. However, I will sleep better at night if I stand for what is best in humans, instead of sinking to the common denominator.

It was a delight to answer my door to a community member who took time to find my secret “Sage Lair”, checking on my condition and what had become of me. Equally warming were the e-mails waiting for me when I finally (!!) rejoined the 21st century. I am often asked why I blog~ why bother? I have asked myself that question more than once. The answer lies in definition #5...breaking into conversation, like sunlight breaking from stormy skies. Not breaking each others heads, hearts or spirits.

The answer was on my doorstep, in my mail and in each one of you. Thank you.