Koshi Kat Kristmas Morning Kampout

Photo: A Koshi Kat Khristmas Tree Kampout - Xmas Morn 2005

One of our four cats (Koshi) kept gathering up the Christmas tree skirt, and sleeping on it. I found it cute enough to snap this photo of Koshi. As you might notice, Koshi has a cat toy there with him for company. Notice that there are NO Christmas presents under the tree? With four cats we just can't chance leaving them under the tree all night anymore.

Honest Dave

Abraham Lincoln Home Springfield, IL Winter 2005

As I look at the daily postings on The11thhour I am struck to a certain extent with a sense of awe with how one person can generate as many well written, review oriented post as Dave at The11thhour.

While I don't always agree with his politics, I am quite certain of this - Dave has developed over the years from a news producer, to writer (his current profession), to one of the best bloggers in Central Illinois!

His reputation has grown far, and wide within the blogosphere, and for very good reason - he reads, as well as he writes!

I don't know if he reads quickly, or if he spends a great part of his day reading blogs, but never the less, he reads. And once having read, he then formulates his own spin - and cast that spin out upon the world via The11thhour.

I don't really know what I'd do if I didn't get my daily dose of Dave (that's 3D for short). When work looks all depressing, I can always depend upon Dave for making me laugh. When it seems I've lost focus, and don't quite know what happened that day I just check out Dave's blog for a quick jog back into the world of politics - from local, to national - he covers it all.

Dave is always scouting out for new blogs, and has introduced us to several fledgling blogs - acting as a talent scout for frustrated bloggers here in Central Illinois!

So here's to you Dave, hope you, and your's have a very excellent Holiday Season, may you continue to blog for as long as you want, but may you never want, as long as you blog.

JP

Blog Censorship in Moderation!

Photo: Christmas Colors

Commenatary "Moderation" Isn't A Key It's A Lock!

Having skittered about the USENET for well over a decade I have noticed how the "nanny factor" has helped to kill the free flow of ideas on some of the more controversial USENET groups.

Some USENET groups seeking to squelch a few troublemakers adopted "moderation" as a means of preapproving each USENET post to their USENET Group. These "Moderated" groups felt they had the need to censor each post for a variety of reasons - usually to prevent trolling, spam, and other forms of abuse.

One side effect of this method of censorship is the effect it has on legitimate posters to those groups. Most participants end up leaving (stop reading, and posting) the moderated group, and end up participating in unmoderated groups featuring the same topic.

Most USENET folk simply don't like censorship!

Comparing moderated with unmoderated groups of the same topic indicates that there simply is no comparison. The number of exchanges on moderated groups is practically non-existent, and the nature of the exchanges is unlively, and less controversial - in a word - BORING!

Grown ups like the free flow of thought available in unmoderated (uncensored) settings. Grownups resent the implication that a moderator sits back, and decides if his, or her thoughts are acceptible for publication to a online service.

Of course some USENET groups which are corporate sponsored groups use moderation to restrict discussion to just those narrow topics to which those groups are dedicated - and to help restrict spam, and obscene postings!

Moderation is however rare on USENET, and the vast majority of USENET groups, numbering into the tens of thousands are not moderated. Moderation simply isn't needed, and again is counterproductive to the free flow of ideas.


"Moderation" Is Censorship in the Blogosphere!

Now we have begun to see Blogs which are using "commentary moderation" to squelch out free discussion on their blogs!

I'm not sure why a blogger would feel that moderation is a useful feature unless their blog was the target of a significant amount of abuse?

It just doesn't make sense to me - especially when Google-Blogger allows the blog poster to simply delete comments if they are offensive.

I have been running this blog for six months now, and have only deleted one comment which came from an anonymous commentary-poster. I left a message on that post inviting the poster of that comment to repost another comment less abusive. I was inviting that poster to be more detailed in exactly why they took offense to my post instead of simply leaving an abusive comment.

I extended an invitation to further dialog - not to squelch it by pretending the comment never existed which "commentary moderation" does.

Commentary Moderation is different - it doesn't even allow the "offensive" commentary post to appear on the blog to begin with! In this way the only voices ever heard on a moderated blog are those voices which the blogger agrees with enough to allow on their blog. There simply is no other way to describe this, but outright censorship!

Meanwhile the blog reader is expected to trust the blog poster to be honorable enough to allow free debate, at the very same time they are expected to somehow accept the blog poster's inherrent advocacy of censorship.

Comment Moderation is a form of censorship which is so dishonest that it doesn't even leave any tracks of its very existence! It is perhaps the most insidious assault to the nature of the free flow of ideas on the blogosphere thus introduced, and is intellectually dishonest in its very nature.

In a moderated blog the blog poster is using the heavy handed method of censoring each and every commentary post even before a reader has any chance to read it. Therefore readers can't even determine if legitimate commentary is being deleted just because the blog poster doesn't agree with the commentary.

In a moderated blog we the reader have no way of verifying if the blogger is a complete fraud when they claim to value free discussion, or when they claim some legitimacy in their political advocacy of liberalism, and a free press.

The blog poster which utilizes comment moderation also eludes all responsibility for what they post, and therefore greatly diminish the value of what they post. There is no avenue of open protest, or fact checking on a blog which utilizes commentary moderation, and therefore the legitimacy of postings on such blogs comes into question - as well as the motivation of its author.

A blogger using comment moderation can never be caught off guard, and can never be exposed on their own blog for being wrong, or for being an outright fraud!

Commentary Moderation is indicative of the level of trust which the mass public has been forced to provide to mainstream media, but now we see this same ugly relationship rising up in the blogosphere.

Certainly the oddest creature of all is the so called "Liberal" blogger who employs the heavy hand of commentary "moderation", which by its very nature is intellectual facism!

Liberals profess to tolerate differing ideas, and often complain that media consolidation has eliminated free speech, and open intellectual discourse within society. Yet what is one to believe of a so called liberal who then employs the tool of the facist - censorship?

Here at JeromeProphet I vow under ordinary circumstances to never impliment Google-Blogger's commentary moderation feature because it is just too heavy handed - constituting de facto censorship. I'd only use it in extreme conditions, and I'd post why I was using it.

I also pledge as a form of protest to never post a comment to a moderated blog. And so it goes! Censorship, no matter from which side it originates, is a hell of an ugly thing, and needs to be shown for what it is - intellectual violence!

Life Will Find A Way?

Photo: Winter Avian Paradise - Horace Mann Plaza Springfield, IL


Photo: Red Berry Tree Upon A Blue Winter Sky - Springfield, Illinois

Winter is harsh. So tough in fact that most people regret having to reach over to turn their alarm clocks off in the morning for they know they have to face some small segment of their day braving the cold.

For some it means getting their cars started, and waiting until their heaters warm their cars up so they don't have to touch a cold steering wheel. If they're lucky the worst part of their winter experience may be walking from their car into the office.

For other people the dry winter air is the worst part of winter. Many may spend part of their morning waxing their lips with chapstick, and then moisturizing their hands to prevent the desert like effects that central heating has upon their skin.

But these are inconveniences really.

While most people resent the high cost of keeping their homes warm in the winter we know that we'd never make it through the winter without all the modern contraptions we take for granted that keep us toasty warm four months out of the year.

We are vastly more fragile than previous generations when it comes to the way we deal with winter. Our fragility while not reflected in our actual experience of winter is revealed in our dependence upon a complex system of keeping us alive during these arctic like months.

Imagine the pain we would suffer if one winter morning we discovered that some terrorist group had attacked our local power plant, and disabled our only source of electricity?

Even natural gas, and oil based furnace systems depend upon electricity to deliver heat throughout the home.

As you'd awaken that horrible tragic morning the first thing you'd notice is your alarm clock not going off, and no lights coming on when you pressed the switch.

Only slowly would it dawn upon you that the winter which you never took seriously before was quickly oozing through the walls of your modern home to greet your every touch - your every breath.

You'd notice your breath hanging in the air in front of you, and your toes would curl as they touched the cold floors. Your windows, despite the light they'd allow into your home, would become your worst enemy.

You might look over at your fireplace, and wonder how long you could keep warm with your meager stack of wood. Not long at all, not long at all - perhaps a day or two, or perhaps less.

Panic would strike you after discovering that the entire region you lived in, and hunderds of thousands of your fellow citizens were facing a similar situation.

How could this be? How could this be, you'd ask yourself repeatedly. But no one would be there to answer. That night from the warmth of the Oval Office your nation's leader might speak in inspiration tones, telling you that help was coming, but you'd be too scared to waste your only remaining batteries listening to speeches.

It wouldn't matter anyway, for it would be too late for talk. Too late for talk as the winter would bare down upon you like never before.

Winter.

Cold, dark winter.

The foe of a thousand generations would have you by the throat, and the only choice left to anyone in your spot would be the same as that of any nomadic tribesman living a thousand years ago - to flee.

One of the reasons I get so angry with the Bush administration isn't because I hate my country, or because I hate rich people, or because I hate people who only care about rich people.

I love my country, and believe down to my very core that all the tax dollars, lives, and time wasted since 9-11 hasn't made any of us in this nation safer from a terrorist attack.

Meanwhile winter awaits.

Photographs: This berry filled tree is located on the south side of Horace Mann Plaza. I guess putting a nest in a tree filled with berries is a pretty good idea. They look very pleasant indeed, but it was extremely cold when I captured these images, and they must be frozen solid.

The low hanging sun in the southern sky, which is present in the "nest photo", lends a hopeful radiance. It's funny how in the winter even a bit of sunlight can have such a tremendous effect. Life will find a way.

The Kale Snow Riders!

Kale Snow Riders Race Down The Mountainside.

The furious winds dove down the mountainside carrying with them the snow riders. As torrential as the winds the kale snow riders raced across the frozen glacier not stopping or slowing until they reached the frozen bay.

A whaling ship had just arrived at the small whaling village of Ludac. The snow riders waited until nightfall before they entered for they had business to do with the Captain of the Franz Gelling, but wanted nothing of men.

O.K. I'll stop there. We'll just assume an exciting adventure takes place which involves the Kale snow riders, and the captain of the Ludac.

The image above is some digital art I created based upon a photograph I took Monday. It's a field of frozen kale in a field of snow. I kind of thought the kale looked like a group of nomadic tribesmen on horseback. This tribe survives on the very edge of what is survivable. They cover themselves, and their horses in furs to keep from freezing to death - hunting Bear, and Seals.

This post is dedicated to The Kale Snow Riders!
May you ride on - you group of intrepid vegetables!

Winter of Old

Photo: Horace Mann Plaza Pond - Springfield, IL - Winter 2005

It has been very cold these last few days in Springfield, Illinois. Good sleeping weather. I am convinced that there must be a type of hibernation instinct in people - we gain weight, and sleep a lot. This winter has really shown itself to be a "classic" winter. For many years winter in Central Illinois has been so temperate that children have grown up not knowing what a snow shovel looks like.

The shift appears to have taken place a few years ago, and Springfield has been getting snow that sticks around for more than a day. This is very much the type of weather I grew up with here in Springfield.

I've always believed that winter serves a cleansing purpose. It kills off, and culls many microbes, and fungus. It acts as a type of reaper to weak animals, and people. Most unkind winter can be, but it can also be very beautiful. The photograph above was taken at Horace Mann Plaza.

Few people were walking today. I bundled up, and braved the single digit temperatures for my lunch time photo gathering.

Daddy Bush vs. The Boogeyman!

It was revealed by in a New York Times article that the National Security Agency was employed by the CIA at the behest of the Bush Administration to spy on american citizens in the years following the twin towers attack. Presumably in the war on terror.

Unlike FBI wiretaps, which are authorized, and periodically reviewed by the judicial branch, the NSA's very existence is denied, and therefore little in way of constitutional checks and balances exist to prevent abuses by any executive employing this massive spy tool upon the american people.

Quoting Bush's radio speech (CNN):

"Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports, after being improperly provided to news organizations. As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk."

End Quote.

Despite the president's supposed indignation, no well trained, or even sane terrorist (or spy) would ever feel secure making an uncoded long distance phone call within the United States.

Any long distance phone call originating within the United States would be transmitted via trans-oceanic fiberoptic cable (tapped), or satellite transmission (monitored). Even cellular calls originating in the U.S., but placed to locations outside its borders would be fair game - which implies they too are widely monitored. The NSA operates several Internet packet sniffing, and data analysis nodes monitoring Internet traffic including Voice Over Internet Protocols, and automated key word text search.

It has been known for many decades that the United States intelligence community has employed the use of extra-national assets to collect intelligence information on american citizens. The CIA employs friendly foreign intelligence agencies to spy on americans living in the United States. Means include the use of foreign spy satellites which monitor, and record cellular communications, microwave relay transmissions, and high resolution satelite imaging. This practice has circumvented legal prohibitions of using the CIA to spy on americans.

Therefore no well trained terrorist, or spy would ever assume their electromagnetic telecommunications would be private. It's an absurd assumption, and the president's handlers must hope that now that this encroachment has been revealed that it will represent the first step toward the legalization of NSA, and CIA spying upon americans.

The New York Times hasn't revealed any state secrets. The only people who may not have known would be average citizens, and they don't care anyway.

Most people have to be asking, NSA, CIA, FBI - what's the big difference? And most are probably saying, "I want the government to use all assets available, and to hell with any law that would prevent our government from catching the terrorist!".

Why don't americans care about this issue? Because we all believe that this power would only be used against the bad guys, and we're just average folk - we have nothing to lose. We're powerless working stiffs living in an age in which the individual doesn't matter anymore.

The average joe's response seems to be, "Just let me alone. Let me keep my job, come home in the evenings, watch a little television, surf the web - and I won't say anything when you spy on the arab down the street, or round up the muslim cleric, and detain him without trail for years".

Most people are so politically, and historically illiterate that they don't get the bigger implications of this story. They don't fear that once established, having the NSA spying upon american citizens will allow this secret massively funded spying aparatus to be used on anyone, at anytime to further the aim of any chief executive for any reason.

Remember the KGB? How about the Gestapo?

Just imagine George Washington authorizing that all mail be read by continental postal employees. Do you get the picture now? I sure hope so, because it's not exactly what our founding fathers intended for this nation. Being patriotic means more than quietly letting others spy on you, and turn your nation into a police state.

Just remember this, when a little boy looks over into the shadows of his darkened room, and believes that the boogeyman has crawled into his bedroom it doesn't matter how abusive, or even sadistic that child's father has been to the child, that little child will still call out to the big strong daddy to save him. It's basic human nature. Hitler knew it. Bush does too.

So all any despot needs to usurp democratic freedoms is a boogeyman. Which is why Osama Bin Laden remains a free man to this very day.

Spooky Little Nerd Prose

Photo: JP Morgan Chase Bank - Downtown Springfield, Illinois

Spooky Little Nerd Prose
by JeromeProphet

You're a son of the one.
A daughter of imperfection.
You're a child of the dark.
You shine in my direction.

I'm bound within your rhyme.
Your patterns forms a lace.
I'm etched within your time.
A place within a space.

Speeding up is down.
Slowing down is up.
Spinning all around.
Someone get a cup.

All could be true.
All could be so sound.
All could be so lost.
All could be profound.

Transdimensionality.
Is our eventuality.
A new cosmic reality.
A thought upon to dwell.

A quantum mind bender.
A brain cell blender.
A true contender.
A tall tale to tell.

Aero Hostile

Sweat Shirt Religion

You can hear me.
But you do not care.

You can see me.
But you do not care.

You can touch me.
But you do not care.

You can love me.
But you do not care.

We are all one.
But you do not care.

That shirt was made by a child.
But you do not care.

She only makes fifteen cents a day.
But you do not care.

She came home after sixteen hours working.
But you do not care.

She'll never have an education.
But you do not care.

She'll never have a chance.
But you do not care.

Greed is your religion.
But you do not care.

It is your soul.
But you do not care.

You have but one life.
But you do not care.

Snow Coming - It's For the Birds!

Photo: Snow Upon Elephant Grass at Horace Mann Plaza

Transition complete!

It is now too cold to safely live outdoors. I say this knowing that there are homeless people living outdoors right in this community. Also there are native peoples who live in the extremes of the artic who would consider this recent touch of cold as a warm spell. But it is all relative, and relative to my expectations it is cold out.

Most people would agree that the walls are slowly shrinking in upon us. Not really cabin fever yet, it's just a slow but sure seduction of the cave life. Bring me another Sabertooth Skin!

It's not "officially" Winter yet, but make no mistake Winter is already here in Springfield, Illinois. The endless cloud cover, and the short days and long nights have brought us all back into the cave.

True, it's all very normal for this time of year, but just don't expect to see a big smile on my face until May!

Let's face it folks we are living in a vast refrigerated ping pong ball. Talk about depressing!

If I were a bear, or one of my lucky cats I'd stay home, and sleep all day for the next four months. I'd slowly awaken in the first week of April, noticing of course I had dropped about fifty pounds of winter blubber, stretch a big stretch, and greet 2006!

Forget about Winter folks, it's for the Penguins!

World Affairs Council Speech

El Presidente gave a speech on Iraq today in Philadelphia sponsored by the World Affairs Council. A long speech really - one which didn't amount to a damned thing.

El Presidente's speech touched so rarely upon any aspect of reality that whatever sounds leaving El Presidente's mouth were completely drowned out by a sound much louder though never heard today from the Hyatt. That would be the sound of truthful utterance, and an honorable word.

What a disgrace. Years into this debacle, and all we get is more of El Presidente's war spin. We can expect no reduction of american troops from Iraq during the coming years no matter what the american people believe about the war. The war is just too profitable for El Presidente's friends.

Winter Has Arrived

Photo: Ice Sickles & Snow Field - Jerome Illinois 12.09.05


Photo: Snow on Tree Branches - Horace Mann Plaza Springfield, IL - 12.07.05


Photo: Saint John's Hospital - Downtown Springfield, IL - Frigid Night 12.07.05

Winter changes much, but snow changes everything! Tonight I noticed the fiery golden sun splash its rays across the snow covered roads, and fields. The sky crystal clear above in varying shades of blue. Tree branches catching the sun's last rays lit up in darkening tones of burnt orange. Totally deadly, yet incredibly beautiful can be a winter's day in the Midwest.

All photographs included in this post were taken over the last several days in Springfield, and Jerome, Illinois.

Union Station Spiral Stairway to Heaven

Photo: Union Station Clocktower Gets A Spiral Stairway


Photo: ALPLM Union Station Spiral Stairway Awaits Crane Lift


Photo: Springfield, Illinois Union Station Stairway Prior to Installation

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum includes Union Station which is undergoing a rehabilitation project. The most exciting aspect of the Union Station Rehabilitation Project certainly must be the addition of a one hundred foot tall clocktower to the station.

The clocktower's steel frame can be seen in the photograph above. Running up the center of the clocktower is an amazing spiral staircase! The staircase as of yet, is not entirely installed, as the photographs above illustrate.

Hopefully, once Springfield, Illinois' Union Station opens to the public the spiral staircase will be available for anyone wanting the challenge of climbing up its winding spire. I imagine the view from any window atop the clocktower will be well worth the climb! Looking down upon the Union Square Park once it is finished, and down upon the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex will have to be be an exciting, and beautiful scene to behold. I wonder if a webcam will be installed atop the clocktower?

Union Station Roofing In Progress II

Photo: Union Station's Roofing Progress Continues


Photo: Union Station Roofing Project - Springfield, Illinois 11.29.05


Photo: Work Planks Installed to Southeast Face

Rehabilitation work on Springfield, Illinois' Union Station continues in earnest despite frigid temperatures, and dangerously cold winds. As the photographs in this post illustrate the application of roofing tiles to the station's south face of its east wing is nearly complete.

Wooden planking has been secured onto the southeast face of Union Station's roof. The planks are aproximately four inches wide which is just enough room to allow roofers to scale along the angled slope of Union Station's roof without slipping. Roofers must prepare masonry roofing tiles with powersaws equiped with blades designed for cutting masonry. The roofers then wedge the masonry tiles into place row by row.

The roofers have been working in cold temperatures, dealing with strong winds for many hours at a time high above the ground. It is obvious that a fall would result in severe injury, or death, and therefore there is no room for mistakes.

Union Station Roof Tile Delivery

Photo: ALPLM Union Station Roofing Delivery


Photo: Union Station Rehabilitation Project


Photo: Union Station Springfield Illinois 12.01.05


Photo: Lift Unloads Union Station New Roof Tiles

A new load of masonry roofing tiles was delivered to Union Station today. Union Station is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex. The ALPLM is located in downtown Springfield, Illinois.

It was a cold December day. Strong winds combined with this season's first snow to make it one ugly day. However work continues on the Union Station Rehabilitation Project as evidenced in the photographs posted on this blog.

Union Station Beam Signing II

Photo: Union Station Beam Signing Ceremony - Springfield, IL


Photo: Final Beam for Clocktower Ceremony 11.29.05


Photo: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum

This post includes a few more photographs of the beam signing ceremony for the new clocktower which is being constructed for Union Station. Union Station is located in Springfield, Illinois, and is a part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex.

The beam signing ceremony was conducted on November 29th, 2005 on the north side of Union Station just off of Madison Ave between fifth, and sixth streets.

Congressman Ray Lahood, and Richard Norton Smith were just two of those in attendance.

Union Station Beam Signing

Photo: Union Station Springfield, Illinois


Photo: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum


Photo: Clocktower Beam Signing - November 29, 2005


Photo: Richard Norton Smith - Beam Signing

The final steel beam was lifted into place for the new clocktower at Union Station. Union Station is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex which is located in downtown Springfield, Illinois.

Various dignitaries attended the beam signing, as well as students throughout the state.

It was a very cold, and windy day. I felt sympathy for those speaking at the small podium as none of those speaking wore hats - I guess it doesn't look good on camera.

I could have walked up, and signed the beam, but I found myself overcome by my desire to photograph the event for historical purposes. Despite being surrounded by photographers, and journalist with notepads in hand I felt as a blogger I had to represent the blogging world - and so I did.

I'll post a few more photographs of the event soon.

November Falls

Photo: Horace Mann Plaza Fall Grass


Photo: Horace Mann Plaza Dead Butterfly Bush

November 2005 is coming to an end. This November was, for the most part a gentle fall from summer into winter. There was much beauty to capture even in the urban setting. I include two photos in this post. The first is of a patch of dormant tall grass, the second is of a butterfly bush which I posted a photograph of during the summer when it was covered in pink blossoms, and hovering bees.

Behind the butterfly bush, and across ninth street - if you can make it out - is Horace Mann East, which houses Horace Mann's IT, and MIS facility. Both photographs were taken on the east side of Horace Mann Plaza in late November 2005. Horace Mann Companies Home Office is located in downtown Springfield, Illinois.

ALPLM Seasoning

Photo: Halverson Construction's Turkey Atop Union Station Clocktower


Photo: Ladder For Christmas Decorating @ ALPLM Off Jefferson Street


Photo: Decorating Ladder And ALPLM - Sprigfield, Illinois 11.20.05


Photo: First Christmas for Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum


Photo: Christmas Street Light Decorations & Union Station - Springfield, IL:

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Downtown Springfield, Illinois. Garland, and Christmas Wreaths are being used to decorate the victorian style street lights in the downtown area. These photographs were taken in the vicinity of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in downtown Springfield.

One image is of the Union Station Clocktower which is under construction. That photograph includes a display of a turkey which has been attached by construction workers to the steel piling. This is a tradition in the construction industry. Union Station is also part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex.

Union Station Roofing In Progress

Photo: Roofer Cuts Tiling Atop ALPLM's Union Station - Springfield, Illinois


Photo: Roofer Atop Springfield, Illinois' Union Station Prepares Tiles


Photo: Union Station In Springfield, Illinois Gets A New Roof November, 2005

Good weather this Fall of 2005 has allowed a steady pace of work on the Union Station Rehabilitation Project. The series of photographs above are of a roofer cutting masonry tiles prior to installation. Union Station is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex located in downtown Springfield, Illinois.

Meaning About Us

Photo: Color Bath Truck - Union Station Springfield, Illinois

The play between light, and shadow, color and white takes place on every level of our everyday lives. We're often too busy to notice that in each and every moment, in each and every space there exist potential for discovery, art, love, science, beauty, meaning, and purpose. Our lives often seem mundane, and meaningless yet meaning is all about us bathing us constantly - we just need to open our eyes, and see it.

We live in a world chasing after an illusion of happiness built upon consumerism, and greed, but in the end the values we have adopted will result in unhappiness, and our destruction - both personally, and as a species.

We're all very much making choices every day about what's important to us. The end result of all those choices is the life we live, and the world we create for ourselves. A world based upon greed, and consumerism places happiness outside the human being, and it drives all the other choices we make. What jobs we take, who we marry, what we believe about ourselves, and everyone else.

But a world based upon the presumption that completion, and oneness can only be found within, and between ourselves and other human beings - instead of things, places the attainment of happiness within reach of every human being.

As we each will face a day where we are gasping our final breath, I wonder what will be the last thing you look upon, what will be the last thing you grasp, the last thought you think? Will it be of an automobile, a house, a bank balance, or will your last precious thought be of a loved one, whether you lived a life worth living?

Under The Bright Lights Baby!

Image: False Color Image - Anderson Electric Sign - Springfield, Illinois


Image: False Color Image - Evans Construction Sign - Springfield, Illinois

The ordinary isn't always mundane. There's a layer below waiting. Don't give up trying to understand. But don't be frustrated if you never do. We've all been there - at least those of us who have awoken. You are not alone. The system is not of our design. It works somewhat. We serve it. But it is just a system. No more real. Than what you have imagined.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I've been neglecting my blog for the last few days. I've been in a race to read the J.K. Rowling book Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and to finish it before the movie starts Friday.

This might be a simple task for many, but for me it means saying no to other things just to get the time to read. Usually saying no means saying no to other people who are attempting to get me to spend my time in other ways.

Tonight I simply laid my foot down, and said no!
I will not go out tonight - I didn't say why I just said I didn't feel like it - which I don't.
But if I had said that finishing up a book was even part of the reason I doubt I would have heard the last of it.

I'm going to end this post here so I can get back to my reading.
I have another book waiting to be read right after I finish up with Goblet of Fire. Team of Rivals - The political genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

I watched her on CSPAN this weekend, and knew I had to pick up her book.

The wife is already asleep, and it's just me, two warm cats sitting at my feet, and a Harry Potter book to read on this cold cold night in November.

Union Station Sun Crane

Photo: Union Station ALPLM Crane


Photo: ALPLM Crane Hook And Light


Photo: Union Station Crane and Light

Just a few shots of the large Crane being used to install the Union Station Clocktower in Springfield, Illinois. I was shooting directly toward the sun, and did what I could to get these shots.

Springfield Illinois Union Station Project

Photo: Union Station Clocktower November 9th 2005


Photo: Union Station Clocktower Springfield, Illinois


Photo: Masonry Tiles Ready For Installation

Here's a few more photographs taken on November 9th, 2005 of the Union Station Project. Union Station is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex located in Springfield, Illinois. Steel Pilings are being hoisted into place atop Union Station. The framework is being being created for a one hundred foot high masonry clocktower.

Masonry roof tiling is also being installed.

Photo Credits: All photographs by JeromeProphet of Jerome, Illinois.

Halverson's Clocktower Project

Photo: Children Running to ALPLM

The following text was obtained from Halverson Construction Inc,


Photo : Welders Prepare Pilings Before Crane Lift

Union Station | Rehabilitation and Historic Restoration

Rehabilitation of the Historic Union Station facility in Springfield, Illinois, as part of the Abraham Lincoln Museum Complex. The project includes: construction of a new 100 foot masonry clock tower; underpinning of existing footings; replacement of the existing roof; interior renovations; and all exterior sitework and streetscape. General Contractor.


Photo: Powerpole Blocks Sun - Union Station Clocktower

Contract Value: $7,400,000
Completion Date: 2007
Owner: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Architect: White & Borgognoni Associates

Note: There are several other contractors involved with this project.