Problems at Site-www.gadlaw.com
Been getting emails that people cannot view the images on my site. I've tried to connect via FTP and have been unable to. I'm checking into the problem and will get it fixed as soon as I am able to.

A Few Pretty Photos Taken
Now Playing: Gone Fishing- Chris Rea -NIN -Closer
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Here are a few photos I've taken in the last week. A few hours to steal away and you can find treasures everywhere or anywhere. It just depends on your desire to find those things you usually step right over and ignor. Had a discussion with a fellow a few weeks ago where he mentioned that everywhere he left some natural weather disaster followed. And that natural disasters did not happen until after he had gone. He seemed quite satisfied with himself. Alas, I didn't have the heart to tell him that such was the actual case with me. I remember living in Japan with the tv on and watching the big earthquake happen just as the Giants and A's were starting the World Series game, right where I used to live. I remember,- ah boring stuff. You can see where I used to live by following the track of Ivan the Terrible. If you're like Bill you can even see it up close. Such is the nature of random chance.

La de da.
All quiet on the western front. Allergies, colds and various aches but quiet. :-)

Tick Tock- There Goes The Clock
Now Playing: Not A Thing
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Well, in case there are a few people who drop by here to see what words of wisdom I have to impart I thought I should drop in to say that I will be away from the computer for a few weeks and so it would be fruitless to see if there is anything of note written here. By all means, if you are like some folks who have something interesting to write and wish to contribute to the body of knowledge on my site, whether it be to the death penalty discussion, the buddist information or even something like Bozena's page information then do send me the emails and I'll get to them as soon as I can. I've recently incorporated some information from a Mr. Cain who has some biological and scientific information about the mechanism of the death penalty as administered via the electric chair. His information is on the page having to do with death by electric chair. I'm happy to use reasoned arguments and discussion points whenever they present themselves. The information is just that - information and information wants to be shared. Points of view can be discussed but without a common basis of information then our discussions and our views cannot have the value they should have. I think I just said that if you have something to contribute then I'd be happy to put it on the site. I do appreciate the feedback I get so please do email me with your thoughts. Again, I'll be away, but checking my email at gilbert@gadlaw.com . Thanks for visiting and I hope you found my site interesting and worth your time. :-)

Dancing- Breakdancing Transformers
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Breakdancing Transformers

Nuf said.

A bottle of wine, some bread and some cheeze
Now Playing: Cowboy Junkies
Topic: Mysteries of Life
This would be an evening of wine, cheeze and a crust of bread. As it happens, I opened a bottle of Turning Leaf, White Zinfindel, a half of loaf of Homestlye Italian Bread and a hunk of cheeze. Very good all in all, I recommend starting the wine first, then ease into the bread and cheeze. I always feel bad about the zinfindel, I know I should have a bottle of Merlot but I really have never acquired a good taste for that red wine. I've tasted it, happily sipped away at it to make others happy but it takes a big effort to drink it willingly and it's an effort I have no reason to engage in sadly enough. I remember drinking it, enjoying the company but not the wine. Of course, the wine is now a memory of the person and so, it's a sad drink indeed and one I don't have the strength to indulge in.

Interestingly enough, as I mentally prepare myself to let various doctors prod and poke me for a variety of ills I find myself more accepting, or perhaps more tired and unwilling to fight kicking and screaming, of the uncoming dance with the docs. Does this hurt? Does that hurt? We'll have to biopsy this or that. You don't really need any medication to calm you while we prepare to put really large needles in you do you? I hate having to fight for something simple like a xanex or codine or something to keep the welling feeling of terror at bay. But then I've become quite loud and insistent in my desires and efforts to keep from getting railroaded or run roughshot over. I'm not sure what 'roughshot' really is but I believe it's appropriate in the context of the sentence. Fighting for good medical care is not one of my favorite battles but I guess I'll battle away as necessary.

Speaking of medical, a friend of mine is returning from having a medical procedure (read surgery) , returning from where his parents lived. The surgery was successful in that he's not dead and is returning home. I was driving down one of the main cross streets of town and pulled out my little cell phone upon noticing the messages I had. I drove along, called up my voice mail and listened. One of them I called back and lo and behold, thanks to the magic of cell phones I found that she was traveling down the opposite side of the same road. She was stopping for a bit to feed her kids at McDonalds's and I happened to be passing just there and so we met for lunch. To bring the story together, she was going to the house of the friend returning from his surgery and was going to put up a 'welcome home' banner. I like the fellow very much and was one of those who visited him in the hospital when he originally went in to get seen and ended up a week. So I'm not one of those noncaring folks. However, the young lady, a optimistic, hopeful and full of life person was the only one to think of providing a banner of welcome for old dude. Well, people like that, things like that remind me of how far I have to come in my desires and efforts to be a compassionate person. An effort for me is for others a natural reaction and a natural state of being.

Daily Journey-Cat Sprayed
Now Playing: Daily Show
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Took the cat to the vet the other day. I tried to slyly sneak up on the cat and smoothly pick her up and put her in the carrier. Of course it didn't happen that way. It ended up being a half hour chase which saw me 'sprayed' by the cat, poor thing, totally in fear of the whole adventure. She screamed as if I was killing her when I did finally corner her. I mean really screamed like a person. Her/he had a tramatic experience being picked up one day and put in the carrier and taken to the vet followed by the whole 'ball whacking' thing. Since then she/he has been a ball of suspicion whenever anyone picker her/he up and tries to put her/he in the travel box. One of those understandable things actually. :-) Still haven't got the smell all the way off though and you know, I don't even really like that cat.

Only did fifteen miles this last evening. But, I did it in a higher gear up from where I was before (oohhh- all the way up to 11th gear) and boy did my thighs lock up. Ouch. My neighbors have seen me biking every evening and I imagine I've inspired a few of them to come on out. I think it was six of them from one family and I passed them up at least four times. Getting dangerous out there.

Political Funny Stuff
The funniest campaign button I've heard about -

A picture of George Bush. The words - Somewhere in Texas, a village is missing it's idiot.

Funniest flash video- called 'This Land' which takes an equal slap at George Bush and at John Kerry. You can find it at www.atom.com right here. This Land Flash Video

Democratic Convention
Topic: Politics
Politics is interesting, fascinating in fact. But still it's hard to watch the Democratic Convention for the same reasons it will be hard to watch the Republican Convention. There is no drama as to who the nominee will be. There is no real newsworthy, interesting activity happening. The commentators provide more smoke than clarity, the people interviewed speak from whatever agreed upon 'talking points' they are given and so listening to one is the same as listening to any of them. It's a horror, a insipid exercise in the end of democracy. Which of course is really no different from what it was in the past, just a different type of nondemocratic activity. In the past, political conventions were run by 'bosses' who came together from their own private fiefdoms to battle each other and decide who we would have for candidates. The old anchors and commentators fondly harken back to the days when there was excitement at the conventions, when the kingmakers did their backroom wheeling and dealing and democracy was like a colorful madonna carried out once in a while for every one to marvel at. No excitement, the decision as to the candidates was made a year ago by the money people who put their money behind whoever. We get to choose from those few and think we have some sort of choice. Money makes the choice before you get a chance. The complaint that you will always hear is the one where we ask where are the candidates we would like to vote for? Sorry, those people were selected out a long time ago.

Having said that, I still do watch. I wanted to see what Hillary would say about having been dissed by the Kerry people. I wanted to see how well she hid her bitterness at not getting the vice presidental nomination. It's all right behind the eyes and interesting to watch. The possibility of her achieving her ambitions is fading and you can see it in her face. She knows that If Kerry wins then John Edwards will get the backing of the money people in 2012. She knows that if Kerry loses then the biggest player in the 2008 elections will be John Edwards. Either way she is screwed. But she knows that Kerry will probably win against Bush and you can see it in her crestfallen, gloomy face. Politics is so very interesting when you have some idea of the backstory.

Another Sunday-no tuna
Now Playing: Lunasa- Redwood (Celtic)
Topic: Physical Well Being
Lunch and dinner, a green salad with two hard boiled eggs on it but no tuna. Tasty. Did 27 miles today, a bit of in the rain this evening but what's a touch of rain when you can watch the lightning show. My feeling about the weather is the same as I had the time I was driving through Kansas (flatter than a pancake) and down the only road I could travel across, there sat the largest blackest cloud bank I had ever seen in my life. Middle of the day and in front of me lay a seething mass of black evilness you could not imagine from any picture or video, you had to be there. Well, I believe I sneered at the cloud and put my foot on the gas pedal. Bring it on was my thought and boy was that a rough ride. Passing into the cloud bank was like a switch had been thrown and it became night. I had to fight the car as it seemed to spontaniously move from lane to lane. Cars were flying off the road. Very intense. Well, the rain and lightning this evening was not quite that spectacular but nonetheless it was nice and colorful. The ride was quiet, nobody at all along the route. Just me and the wind and the rain. Peaceful.

Saw many of my friends at the usual Sunday brunch and it was nice to visit as it always is. Friends telling me they see me racing myself intensely and speedily. I tell them it's good tension relief. Sometimes I don't see them on the road or coming out of the building as I've got my blinders on. I apologize and tell them I'd happily wave or stop if I knew they were calling out to me. As it is, when Cake starts on the mp3 player with "The Distance" I become demonically possessed. Gotta push faster and faster until my legs feel like they are going to burst. -Just in time for Johnny Cash to come on with his version of NIN's Hurt- since I'm hurting then it makes me still go fast. Well, you see how it goes. Songs as motivation and as training partners.

Warm Appreciation
Now Playing: Blink 182- I Miss You
Topic: Mysteries of Life


You'll notice that below this entry I posted the text of an email that came to me just a day or so ago which praised me for the buddhist information that I created. Well, it's been a good couple of days since as I've had people contact me through icq and through the AOL messenger giving me similar kind words. The last one, just a bit ago was through icq and that woman -nicknamed 'Amethyst' was kind enough to praise the layout and content of the site.

Many times I get people who contact me and are angry that I have information and pictures that might cause someone to rethink their viewpoint on the death penalty or who believe that I am somehow being insensitive to victims. Those bits of hostility directed toward me are not fun to receive. Sometimes people will complain to me that they think I 'like' gory or horrific pictures since I have such pictures available on my site. I tell those people that those who seek such pictures for the sake of seeing gore and horror are likely defective and with something wrong in their way of thinking. I know some people who recently sought out pictures of beheadings of american hostages. My opinion of the people who seek those sorts of pictures is a negative one. I have little respect for people who find that entertaining and who seek their entertainment in the pain and suffering of others. There is something exceedingly vile in that.

I appreciate that someone would feel strongly enough to express their viewpoint to me personally even if it is a negative one and sometimes hostile. I would say though that I more warmly receive the kinder comments. This is perhaps a fault of mine but it is nevertheless so. For people like Amethyst who can see the overall depth of my site I'd like to say that I will continue to use the same criteria to enlarge and fill out my site of that which seems right to me and what expresses who I am. Thanks most kindly.

Riding like a dog-
Now Playing: Tour de France
Topic: Physical Well Being
A good day, not so hot. Nine miles biked in the morning followed by lots of yard work in the sun, followed by having lunch with my friends, a visit to the bird shop to visit other friends and then 15 miles on the bike in the evening. So 24 miles in today. Again, I've popped up to a higher gear so I've got more muscle to pedal harder, I have my mp3 player jamming a large selection of music that gets me motivated and allows me to pedal like a maniac and I take my aggressions out on the road. Good therapy- must go faster. If I didn't have the painful heel spur thing I'd be up at 5 in the AM running in circles for 90 minutes a day but you do what you can do. I can't wait for the surgery for the foot, nothing as wonderful as the pain from a surgery to remind what pain and suffering is all about.

Thanks for the Buddhist Info at my site-
Now Playing: Tour de France
Topic: Mysteries of Life
I get lots of emails from people who visit my site. Most of them have to do with the death penalty and are people thanking me for providing information that they cannot otherwise find or they are people sending me hate letters since to their eyes it appears that I am against the death penalty. Very infrequently do I get an email thanking me for the Buddhism information I have on my website. Here is the email.

"I want to thank you so much for the section in your
website on buddhism. I have very recently become very
interested in this as a way of life. I have contacted
white lion and they are sending me some info on how to
get started. I found the info that you had very
helpful, as we have no contacts here in the MS Delta.
Again thank you and I send you warm wishes.

=====
Angie

Hope that you have wonderful day!!!"

Thank you Miss Angie. It made my day to have this email come to me through the spam filters and into my mailbox.

The People's Republic of Texas
Topic: Law
Perhaps you remember the story of the woman in Texas who was charged with violating the Texas obscenity laws for selling a vibrator to two 'undercover police officers' posing as a married couple. The important thing to remember about this story is that the police department in the city of Burleson- Johnson County thought the idea of selling vibrators to married couples in private parties (think tupperware) was such a threat to the People's Republic of Texas that they did set up the sting operation to catch Joanne Webb, a mother of three and a former schoolteacher in the town of Burleson. This story received national attention, something the fine police of Burleson didn't expect and as a result of the national spotlight, the Johnson County Attorney, perhaps feeling the pressure of the sunshine, asked the Judge to dismiss the case 'to prevent the county from wasting resources on it.' Now they had no problem wasting resources on it when they simply thought they could put the mother of three in jail for her heinous crime but now, to save money, - not to do the right thing or even admitting they were stupid- they had the case dismissed to save money. Another day in the People's Republic.

One Damned Day After Another
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Got my exercise on not so early this day, after 9:30 or so. Hot, humid and who cares. 12 Miles down the road, getting ready to pound out a couple more ten miles. Mostly a good thing, helps keep the pissedoffness down. Watched Lance Armstrong win another day at the Tour, he is like John Elway to my mind, a fellow who travels a hard road, doesn't give up and comes out as a survivor and a winner. To be admired. I shall look like a thundercloud now, hope the thunderclouds don't get too upset and zap me with the lightning.

Later that evening-Another good twelve miles, rode hard, rode fast and rode in a higher gear. Came home and found a slight bit of heat stroke passing through me. Being upset is good for the workout, you can take your aggressions out on the pedals or the weights and at the end of the day you've got it out of your system and you are a bit healthier as a result. Beats drinking and smoking.