upandgo

2010-05-19T11:49:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I went out in the morning to water the plants in the hope it would then rain. My hopes were cruelty crushed. Today I went out during the morning to water the plants in the hopes of rain. Good gracious – it is raining!

2010-05-14T18:38:00.001-07:00

It is snowing -- on the 14th of MAY??? -- Oh, no, it is the cottonwood letting its seeds float on the wind. How lovely to see, but how many seedlings will we have in the future?

When I sit at the computer our male dog comes by and lays down to keep me company. It is such a nice feeling seeing him laying there besides me even if it looks like as if he is asleep. But then just let me get up and go someplace and up and about he is. It is so lovely having a kind and gentile companion around.

2010-03-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Went to the local plant nursery. To my absolute delight discovered a plant I remember from my early childhood. Mother and I were in East Prussia in the general area of what is now called Kaliningrad. At that time the plant reached to my chest however it is only about 2 or 3 feet high.(I was less than 6 years old.) Seeing this plant in flower reminded me of that time – by the way the name is Campanula medium or “Cup and Saucer”

2010-03-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Our car suddenly would not start last night on the way home from the Healys. We had stopped at Albertson for milk and when we got into the car it refused us. After about 45 minutes waiting we tryed it again and this time it would start and away we went back home. Stuart helped us but he was equally baffled by the incident.

2010-03-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Put some new photos on my blog partly because of my involvement with the King City, OR, subcommittee on trees. This will be an interesting experience and I now can go onto the golf course.

2010-02-09T12:48:00.001-08:00

Update on the SETI program: The constant action in the computer might case the system to heat up. Is there a problem with over using the system so that it will not last that long. Even in electrical systems when you don’t use them, they last longer than a heavily used ones. So as an alternative I have decided and implemented the following: In the evening I put the BOINC program into a snooze mode and then turn the computer off, but during the day hours it is free to run because there is no problem of using the computer at any time I want to and it needs to be on because of Velda’s printing needs. I hope that this 50 / 50 solution will at one hand help the calculations and at the other hand give the computer a rest.

2010-01-30T14:22:00.000-08:00

Installed two new programs on my computer. The first one is called “Stellarium” and it is supposedly giving the local sky at the present time. Well, it took me a while to get it to be the local sky since the program insisted I was living in Paris, France. After this little misconception had been cleared up the program now presents the local picture of the sky. It even identifies the planets and some of the brighter stars by name. The problem as I see it is: the program picks up the local date and time from the computer and during daylight hours shows you that the sun is up. Well, I can see that when I look out of the window clearly. Its not what I am interested in at the moment.

The second program is called “BOINC” and connects to a computer someplace (Berkeley?) and analyses the information gathered by a radio telescope. This is part of the “SETI” program (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence). First thing BOINC does is to disconnect the screen saver and then it puts up the data being processed. In a sense one can see what is going on – as if it was of any particular interest or significance. The data just roles by and it is interesting to watch, but exactly what are you watching? So I turn off the power to the screen or monitor and let the computer do its work. I am glad to help.

2009-09-15T12:31:00.001-07:00

Let’s have some fun with history:

1; Actually the word comes from “His Story”’

2; ‘If you don’t know your history you are forced to repeat it’ is a saying I have heard a number of times. It seems to me that all we are doing is repeating history with one war or the other or even multiple ones all at the same time. So what have we learned? To wage war in a better and more destructive way?

3; I wonder if history of earlier times is really applicable today. In the last 165 years the development of the human society has been so intensive and rapid that comparisons are almost impossible. To trace this development is one thing, to apply it to other times in the history of the human race is quite another.

2009-08-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm having problems getting to my blog and the pictures. Hope it works this time

2009-08-03T16:13:00.001-07:00

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

I wonder about the part:” all men are created equal”. Does ‘men’ equal masculine or is feminine also included? Does ‘all men’ include slaves and Indians or is only the white race meant? Today we have a different view on these subjects then our forefathers and it is possible that the most restrictive kind of interpretation is meant. That this is a reasonable possibility can be seen from the statement: ‘deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed’. Indians and slaves are not asked to give their consent, that has been taken away from them.

So what is today’s meaning? Consider:” that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”. What are the ‘certain undeniable rights’; Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?

2009-06-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

The outlook described earlier could suggest that it is unnecessary to do anything about the saving of the environment. I am of the opinion that this idea is erroneous. Let me explain. We are at the present in a time period which is getting more and more chaotic. This can be seen by increasing numbers of tornadoes, by increasing strength of tornadoes, by them appearing outside established paths and areas, by covering larger areas. This can be seen by more floods, more severe, affecting larger areas, destroying more cultivated and used land and houses. This can be seen by winters getting colder and summers getting warmer, by heavier temperature swings and the accompanying destruction of crops.

Now then if we can by living more economically and working on the saving of the environment, and getting less CO2 into the atmosphere we can soften those problems and in such a way save peoples lives and farmers crops a lot of money can be saved and the impact softened. Any amount spend in this direction would eventually diminish the impact and be conducive to the betterment of the world.

Reduce methane gas and sulfur emission and CO2 exhaust is only part of the actions which should be seriously considered for the future.

2009-06-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! -- A few friends have approached me and a few have written why I am quitting my blog. The end resultant is, I am going on with it. So more postings of all kind and ideas will come.

By the way just read the book: "Born to be good" but forgot the name of the author. Highly recommended.

2009-05-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

I have decided to give up this blog and the associate pictures and end all.

2009-05-01T21:54:00.001-07:00

I have for a long time thought about the influence of the environment on the dress one wears. Lately I have added language to these contemplations. It has now occurred to me to take two different societies – different with respect to the environment – and compare to see what the influence is. The two should be vastly different and so I put one at the pole and one at the equator. Lets say Eskimos and people from the Arab peninsula.

Eskimos live in a cold climate with the possibility of a day being one year long. Half a year daylight and half a year night. Their clothes must protect them from the cold and be impervious to snow, ice, and wind. These requirements will express themselves in the language in the form of communicating snow and ice conditions, where to hunt, how to proceed on the ice using dogs and sleds and other information on how to get along.

Arabs live in a desert area and have very well defined days and nights each being about 12 hours long. Every where is sand which is blown by the wind and the dust can travel many miles (think of the hamsin in Israel). Dress needs to protect the hair from all that dust, the clothes should protect from the very bright sun and still be able to keep the bearer cool. The language consequently has to express the condition of the desert, where to find water and how to get there from here.

Eskimos do not need a well defined time frame like the Arabs, nor clothes to keep them cool. On the other hand an Arab can not survive in the clothes worn where the Eskimos live.

I think by putting it in this way you, the reader, can get an idea of why these differences are dictated by the environment and are conducive to the preservation of live.

2009-04-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

We were in the Japanese Garden this spring and I put the latest pictures from that outing on my picture section. ENJOY!

2009-04-01T13:57:00.001-07:00

Here is another bit of a sarcastic joke:

As an added observation I noticed that many TV dramas play at night. The screen is totally dark and only whispered voices are heard. The idea of a plot is somewhere lost in the secrecy of the situation. Man! you don’t even have actors any more, just some morons to read from a book.

2009-03-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, maybe 10 or so like around 1998, I made for myself files for each month (Gregorian) for the daily readings. For each month (Baha’i) I used the name of the month as a guideline for selecting a reading for the day – both morning and evening. I still have these files and am now converting them to be readable using Microsoft Word 2000 which I have on my computer. First I checked all the file definitions and changed them to ‘.doc’ and then recompiled them in the new form. So far the first part is done and I am working on the second part.

Our local blind Baha’i demonstrated the possibility of making them available to blind people because there exists a program which she has on her computer which reads out loud what is written on the screen. She is now checking out the daily readings to see if all works well and to pinpoint any problems. Some of those problems arise because of the way Persian or Arabic names are spelled. Some of the diacritical marks or letters do seem to confuse the reader.

2009-03-17T14:59:00.001-07:00

Ironical blurb on the development of TV.

I noticed recently that the background music is getting louder and the talking quieter. Soon we will have all the actors just pantomime talking which would save the expense of paying the actors the appropriate amount they were getting when they had to learn their lines.

Also I would suggest that the time allotted to the program one watches is cut shorter so that more time is available for more commercial advertisement. That should increase the amount of money the station receives from the advertising company, and the program being shown will cost less. A double win win proposition.

Soon we will then have only advertisement on the tube and all those silly programs can go by the wayside.

Loving greetings to all -- Chris

2009-03-10T15:27:00.001-07:00

The Bahá’ís of Iran have suffered since the inception of their faith in 1844. Currently the persecution has increased and the Iranian legislature has ordered that they are no longer allowed even to meet. The Bahá’í law of obedience to government means that all their activities have therefore ceased. I am a Baha’i and as such know that our faith is peaceful and includes the followers of all religions with unity and compassion. I feel terrible about the prosecution of my fellow believers in Iran. If you are interested in human rights and dignity go to www.bahai.org and follow the necessary links for more information.

2009-03-06T12:33:00.001-08:00

Comments on the OPB program: “Silent Invasion”

This program reported the ugly fact that invasive species are taking over living space from natural species which normally grow or live here in Oregon. To cite two examples from the program: first there was the plant which is not local but came from a southern place and it took over some area but the animals gracing there could not eat it. Second in some lakes the local fishes are driven out by new comers which then replace the old inhabitants of the lake. The new comers are not edible and a food source was consequently lost to the locals. Both items are attributed to global warming. My comment on the situation is, that the program should have been named: “Dynamics of Nature”.

Now Global Warming is an established fact, so we will have to live with it. If the NPSO (Native Plant Society of Oregon) insists of removing all plants which are not native what is going to happen? First there is the invasion of plants from California into Oregon by plants which are now able to exist in more northerly regions . Second the present native plants will move northwards because the climatic conditions for their growth and flourishing has now moved northwards into Washington and Canada. The plants which cannot move very fast, like trees, will slowly die out and then what have we left? Bare soil and or grasses or plants and animals which can tolerate a wider scope of climatic conditions. Maybe some small crucifers and what else? I don’t know. Ah, yes, and mosquitoes.

2009-02-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

Horror Story part 1
********************************************************************************************
Starting during the time we lived in Denmark (Farum), I have been wondering about the future of the world. Triggered by the talk of the scientists on global warming and some other information available to me, I started to extrapolate. The results of my thoughts were frightening. The movie presented by Al Gore “An Inconvenient Truth’ only emphasized my ideas. The main difference between him and me consists in my belief that nothing can be done because the “Tipping Point” has passed. Now I hear from meteorologists the very scenario, which I have been espousing to some of my family and relatives (David Piff, Mike Piff and his wife Sara).

The sequence I envision goes something like this: More and more ice is melting and slowly Greenland will loose its ice cover. But before that Hudson Bay ice will also break up. Now sweet water is lighter than salt water and it and floating icebergs will eventually interfere with the Gulf Stream. Since the sweet water is lighter it will lie on top of the warm salt water and the icebergs will block moving water at a lower level. This will cause the Gulf Stream to be diverted from its northerly course to running south along the coast of Africa. This occurrence will happen very suddenly. The consequence would be, that Europe’s climate will suddenly become cold and a winter climate will cover all of it -- from northern Norway to southern Italy and the European part of Turkey. Asiatic Turkey and the Mediterranean will remain ice-free, so will all countries along the northern African coast but Africa, on the other hand, particularly the central part, will become unbearably hot and dry. In Europe, if you don’t leave, you might freeze to death, and in Africa you will be fried (all the heat now dumped into Europe will be dumped into Africa). The Mediterranean being in the middle between heat on one side and cold on the other side will remain inhabitable.

The ice cover is melting. A massive amount of water now locked in ice is going to be released. The consequence is obvious; the water level of the oceans will rise appropriately. Florida, New York City, and many other places will simply be under water. Where will the enormous numbers of displaced humanity live? They will try to find homes in areas not affected. . If many Europeans flee south and many Africans flee north the entire area along the southern part of the Mediterranean will be totally overrun by foreigners and the local squabbles between brothers (Jews and Palestinians) simple squelched by the influx. Consider 10 newcomers for every single person living there now. Libya, Israel, Egypt etc will cease to exist as separate states or entities. But then the same thing will happen all over the world.

As a side effect consider that England – or Great Brittan – does not exist any more because it is ice covered. What about the zero point for our global positioning system (GPS), simply there is no Greenwich. What a sobering thought.

Now I have written here about the way I see the future develop. Time frame might be 2050 or in other words children born now or our grand children are going to be affected.

I have not thought about the consequences for the rest of the world very much. I am sure this event will affect Asian and American countries as well as Australia. Here I can only point to the rising sea level and wonder about San Francisco and Los Angeles. The rising water level travels up the Mississippi and New Orleans will vanish. How far it will go – I don’t know but it will cause considerable problems.

On the other hand, let us not forget the enormous mixing going on. Just think of the language problem. I think in the end one language will prevail, and it might be the one, which is flexible enough to permit such an influx of new words and ideas. I am reminded of the time I lived in Germany under Hitler when it was forbidden to use any ‘non Arian’ words especially not Jewish ones. Language will have an influence on culture, and so does religion. I am sure humanity will come to a new cultural level.

And here is an aside – also on a very personal note: In about 900 years the magnetic pole of the earth will shift and there is an in between time of no magnetic field or very erratic magnetic fields around the earth. Cosmic radiation will considerably increase which results in an increased rate of mutations. Is that the time the next manifestation occurs? Giving us prayers that heal?

Horror story part 2:
We are at this moment in a period of global warming. Ice in both the Arctic and Antarctic areas is melting. I have talked about this in previous years, but now comes a new twist on top of the old one. Even cold “sweet” water is lighter than warm salt water. This melt water will consequently float on top of the salty ocean water. Ok, then, the Gulf stream is going to be pushed under the surface and is moving along separated from the air and wind and we don’t know how deep it is going to be driven. When this stream hits a solid object, like a rock formation strong enough to stop the flow, what will happen? There are millions of cubic miles (1 cubic mile is approximately 2 cubic Kilometers) of moving water and it is impossible for that mass to be suddenly stopped in its path (water hammer). The only way these masses can go is up. If you think a Tsunami is a big wave, think again – this upwelling is at least 100 times bigger – and I mean at least. So lets say the upwelling reaches the height of 1500 feet (about 460 m), but not only in the place where the stream was stopped, but this upwelling will move backwards along the stream into the Bay of Mexico because the water in the stream will be stopped and the stoppage moves backwards. The stream which feeds the Gulf Stream coming from the south Atlantic is not going to stop suddenly but the water masses moving into the Bay of Mexico will still keep on moving. Because of the pressure of the bulge created at the head of this column the stream will be forced into a new direction and the swelling subside. Don’t ask me how long that takes.

Good by East Coast, and half of Kansas might be submerged from the Mississippi on west (to the level of about 1500 feet).

2008-12-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

Because of the snow these days there are a few unexpected funny incidents. On the TV the school closings were announced and it said: ”Open Door Church closed”. Well, OK, the last few days have been heavy. It was a good thing we did not have to go out at all. Our front gate is blocked by about 3 feet of snow (about 1 m), and only people who have snow chains on the tires or have studded tires are out. Kristy and Tim Healey came once to check on us and pick up some items they had asked Velda to make for them, but otherwise we stayed holed up. Calling Germany – my sister and brother and Beate and Klaus – I found out that Portland Oregon had even in Germany been shown on the TV. Yes it was bad, and some of the interstate roads too were affected by the snow and ice storm and totally closed down. First came 6 inches of snow, then half an inch of ice, then another 6 inches of snow which was very nicely and lovingly blown around by a good storm. We were very glad that in King City all electrical wiring is under ground, so we did not have the problem of trees falling over wires and the whole neighborhood is down and out of electricity. In one instant we heard of an about a one week power outage. Poor people with no heat except for open fires. Now today – December 24 – it is getting warmer and I have the feeling that the snow is melting. By the weekend it should be over. Lets hope so!

2008-11-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

I saw this program on O. W. and would like to comment on it.

Oprah had on her show a woman who remembered accurately every day of her life from early on. This was not understood, neither by her nor by Oprah nor the doctor (Oz) present on the show.

Here is an explanation of what was going on.

You are alive because there is a “soul” within you. I use the word “soul” because I do not know a better word for it, and I hope this word will give you an idea what I mean. Without this “soul” you would be dead. This “soul” remembers every thing you do or is done to you together with the emotions involved. It has nothing to do with school learning or any skill we develop during our lifetime be it orthography or grammar, climbing or hiking, cycling or driving a car, etc. At the moment of death the “soul” leaves the body and moves to an other dimension. The first thing there consists of the “soul” spilling the contents of the accumulated information and at that moment you will know without any doubt the value of your actions in the eyes of GOD. Yes, this is the reckoning, the judgment, and you do it yourself. There is no but or however or any refuge to an explanation. It is straight there and out in the open. Talk to people who have been dead but for one reason or the other have come back to life. They will tell you about it in a way only personal experience can do.

So why I am talking about this? Because for this lady, for reasons unknown to me, the Veil between the “soul” and the consciousness of the living brain does not exist, and she consequently has this amazing ability to know, not remember but know!

One interesting, at least to me interesting, comment was, that the memory is only partial and limited for the very early years. The “soul” inhabits the body from before birth or around that time. In the beginning a baby has no emotions of or comprehension of what is going on or what is happening. Father and mothers eyes are watching over it and mother nurses it. It is not until social functions develop that the “soul” starts its function as a record keeper. I have a question: is this the reason why Christ said “let the children come unto me, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Simply there is no record on the “soul” to be used for viewing and judging.

2008-10-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

The latest postings are from Africa - Tanzania - Arusha. The pictures were taken in 2003. The grope left from Denmark - Copenhagen and was in Tanzania for 2 weeks.

2008-10-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

It is by now obvious, that I prefer to put plant pictures on my blog. I am sorry to disappoint you - but if you have a special request please email me with your ideas. chandvel@comcast.net

2008-09-04T16:29:00.001-07:00

There are sad and happy things to report. First the sad part: I had laid my camera on a small table when the baby came and tipped it over - the table that is. Well, not too bad, but there was also a cup of coffee on the table and when that dried the shutter in front of the lens would not open. Estimated repair about $180. Now for the good part: For 150$ we bought me a new camera with a larger viewing screen and better closeup. The rest of all the wonderful things on it is not of interest to me. So I am happy with the new purchase.

Hope you are happy too.

Loaded over 30 new pictures on 'upandgo'.

2008-07-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

I herewith want to thank the two persons who were so kind as to inform me of errors in my picture descriptions.

From all my heart -- thank you

2008-06-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I would appreciate it, if anybody who looks at the pictures and notes a problem, or a name, or a misspelling, or any thing which would help me, if they would be so kind as to write me a note. Any comment is welcome.

Good hunting -- Chris

2008-06-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

Just about twice every week I am taking out pictures which have been on line for some time - like a month - and put up new ones. I hope to attract your interest and that you enjoy what I am showing.

2008-05-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

More then once a week I remove older pictures and put new ones up. I hope all enjoy the new stuff. This is what it is for.

Cheers to all -- Chris

2008-04-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have been updating my blog at least once a week for the last month or longer. I hope you liked it. By now the flower section is finished and other items will appear on the blog in due time.

Enjoy

2008-04-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

I have changed a lot during the last week - I hope you like it

2008-04-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have changed pictures in a number of places. Some were removed and others added. This is done about once a week in order to keep myself and people who look at theses pictures happy.

I hope you like what I put up.

Loving greetings to all viewers.

2008-03-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a few days since I wrote last. In between I found out, that my flikr picture number is limited to 200. When I had more than that, only the first 200 were show. But then I eliminated a few and now there are less then the magic 200. So go to the 'our pictures' link on the bottom and have a look.

Loving greetings to all who read this -- Chris

2008-03-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

I have put up a number of old pictures out of my "history" file.

Enjoy

2008-02-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

OK, so it is south of Portland, Oregon, and not OD, sorry.

Now here are a few pictures showinf the fields of dahlias.

2008-02-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

OK, so I am putting even more dahlia pictures on my blog. I was really surprized as to how many varieties there are. Fields and fields full of plants and flowers. All standing there in long rows in colorfull varieties. Lovely to see and inviting to buy. Yes, buying we did. Hope you like the show.

2008-01-29T12:24:00.000-08:00

Last year we went to Canby not far south from Portland, OD. We saw acres and acres of Dahlias. Here is a small selection of what we found. Enjoy!

2008-01-23T16:25:00.001-08:00

Today, just to see if I got it correctly, I am writing a second message. As you can see it worked. I have to go in via a Google account. So I got it to work. Am I ever glad - thank you Mike.

2008-01-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

I have in the past months put up new pictures at least once a week. Other, older pictures, were taken off. So the blog and the system should be working OK. I am generally not notifying anybody of any changes, be they additive or subtractive. Please do take the time occasionally to go and see the pictures on your own and let me know if you like them or not.

Loving greetings to everyone who reads this!

2007-12-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

Some changes have been made recently. First I took off pictures, but I also put in new ones. More new ones then taken off.

I hope y'all enjoy the show.

Loving Christmas greetings to all!

2007-11-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

At the Camera Club we experimented with so called black light. I took a few pictures of the setup which manly consisted of a box lined with colored paper glowing under black light. On top was a glass plate on which pressed clear glass was layed. The effect is really striking.

2007-09-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

At the dog show in St. Helen I tried to photograph a few of the dogs, but I do not know their name. Can one of the members of the club identify them? I appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

2007-09-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 8: Our son Mark Carter-Piff was here for a visit. He was very interested in Hood River in the Columbia Gorge, so we decided to drive there and have a look. We had for a long time already wanted to do this, and with the lovely weather and his interest in the area we went. On I5 north to I84 and then east until we came to the turn off for the Scenic Highway. There our first stop was: Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic View. What a nice view over the area. Next was Crown Point or Vista House which I had once visited years and years ago whilst we were living in Richland, WA. Next stop for us along the highway was Multnomah Falls. There we stayed for a while because it was so lovely. The next fall we stopped at was the Horsetail Falls. After stopping at Meier’s Overlook we reached our goal Hood River. By the time we got there it was late lunch time and we had something to eat in a restaurant with an outdoor seating area. We sat there for over 1 hour. After driving around a bit in Hood River we went across the toll bridge from the Oregon side of the Columbia to the Washington State side of the river. By this time Mark Carter-Piff was driving and he made a small detour to Bingen before going on the return trip. But this time we drove on the Washington side and stopped at a number of places. I got very tired and slept some in the car, but do remember our stop at Beacon Rock. What a glorious day – what a grand outing – how much fun we had – and such a lovely scenery, it was just a wonderful day. We sure would like to do it again someday soon.

2007-08-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick update from last time - it concerns 'second life'. I did find the red triplane again, and I discovered it was a double decker. My error, I think the red color threw me off. The 'Red Baron' is a distant relative.

Just south of Portland, OR, is the biggest Dahlia nursery in the US. Right now is the time to see the plants in full bloom. And blooming they were. We went out yesterday and today to admire, photograph, and buy tubers (corn?). The delivery is scheduled for middle of April next year. I'm already hating all the digging I will have to do. Nevertheless I put a few pictures on the 'our photos' part of the blog. One variety was called Mary Jo and I wondered - why not Merry Jo? Some other names kind of tickled my fancy like Foxy Lady. Both can be admired as a picture.

2007-07-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have lately tried to use a computer game. It is called “Second Life” and there is a book about it available. It is not a game where you go around and shoot everything in sight, but rather you interact with other people whom you meet on screen. Everybody is represented by an “avatar” and this av, short for avatar, can be moved around the area. I particularly like the possibility of having my av fly and see the general area I am in from above or move fast from one place to another. Even faster is teleportation, but then you don’t see what is going on and how you are moving from one place to the other - a bit like “Move me up, Scotty”. By now I have made some acquaintances from Bucharest and London, communicated (wrote) in English, German, and Danish, and met one of my sons at the Pirates Cove. One can buy ‘land’ and build a ‘house’ or anything else you like to do, and some of the items I’ve seen are really phenomenal (excuse me ‘awesome’). At the moment I am trying to find the av who uses a red tri-plane with a machine gun imitating “The Red Baron” ala Snoopy. In ‘public’ places violence and nudity is forbidden, and gambling all together. If you are interested in those things you must do it in a private area. One of the war zones is called “Combat” and I advise everybody to stay away from that place.

2007-06-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

We had some wonderful weather and I took a series of pictures of the neighborhood. Go to our photos and enjoy.

I am happy to let you know, that Scott was honoured by the Henderson, NV, city council for saving a persons life. I am very proud of him.

Have a nice day.

2007-06-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday - well, actually yesterday -- first we went to a dog show and tryed again to get our Suzy to be more at ease around other dogs. We don't know why, but she is hesitant about socializing with other dog, not people.

To top things off, there was a few miles from here where we live a 'balloon festival'. We went after dark came in and I took a few pictures. Actually quite a few pictures but most of them were blank. The light giving flame to fill the balloon with hot air was on and off too suddenly and I did have a problem getting the very moment. As I already indicated, most of the time I was too late or the flame fire too short. But I managed a few.

Got a few calls for fathers day and feel very nice about it.

Cheers to everyone -- DAD + OPA

2007-06-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

Great news! Michael and Sara Piff in Luxenbourgh had a baby boy. They named him Noah Nabil. Date of birth 10th of June. If you want to see some pictures write and I see what I can do.

My time in the Hospital for the cardiac rehab is coming to an end. One more week and it is over. I do have the possibilities to continue in our local swimming center but I am wondering about taking a marshal arms class. Not Karate or Judo or Tai Chi but Aikido. I am presently looking for a Dojo or place where they meet. What do you think? Your thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers and good luck -- Chris

2007-05-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

OK, as to something different. Here is the cat named Whisper. He goes out on a walk with the dogs and is more of an outdoor cat, but sleeps in the house. As to sleeping, he does that where ever he finds a place which suites him. He came with us from Denmark and is a "Danish Red" as the kind of coloration is called there. He gets along well with the dogs - all dogs. But if they are getting too big he hides because some of the bigger ones do not appreciate his kind. And he did have bad experiences along that line.

For some pictures of the local area see our pictures.

Cheers -- Chris

2007-05-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

I have been accused of only showing pictures of plants. Well, not quite true, but it is close enough to the truth for me to recognise the trend. Yes, for the last 50 years I have photographed flowers at least 98% of the time. The exceptions are rare and far between. Now I am beginning to be more comfortable with my new digital camera and I do start taking other pictures - like of areas or people. Things I find interesting or which I like; people to be remembered, or memorable occasions. Of course I took some pictures at my 80th, but not enough and I do hope that others who also took pictures at the occasion will be so kind as to add to the few I have. Let us hope for the best. But my next job is rather to write thank you letters, something I am seriously behind with on doing.

Have a nice day -- Chris

2007-05-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody,

I got a new computer for my 80th birthday. Man, oh man, is it ever nice to have something to work with without being afraid it will drop dead any unexpected minute. I am so happy and glad for this new toy, as it has been express by somebody. OK, so be it, but it is great nevertheless. It has a dual processor and with hard disc drive and memory really up to date.

I am very thankful to have such a wonderful family.

Loving greetings to all -- Chris

2007-04-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

We lived for 13 years in the Pittsburgh, PA, area and one of the attractions was the Trillium Trail. The southern side of the valley up the hillside was just covered with the plants. The still bare trees let enough sunshine through so the plants could be enjoyed and the people visiting the place came from near and far.

My cardiac rehab is going well and is doing me a lot of good. I feel much happier now.

Loving greetings to all!

2007-04-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

The magnolia petals are falling (see picture) and create an unsightly mess on the sidewalk. But the Japanese Cherries are in full bloom, and so are the Redbuds. Very soon Dogwood will be fully open and we have then the white and red varieties in the area in full bloom. I am looking forward to it.

My health is slowly getting better. This workout at the cardiac rehab robs me of walking in the woods or a meadow, but being so carefully supervised is at the moment probably the best for me. As I said I do feel it is helpful.

P.S. Getting a picture here worked the first time. This time 3 tries and still nothing.

2007-03-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody -- Well, as to my health, it is really looking up. Finally problems with medication have been straightened out and I have been starting with the cardiac rehabilitation. This starts out with blood pressure measurements, then I get a heart monitor mounted on me, then I climb on a treadmill and am given a schedule to follow. This goes for about 25 minutes. In between Blood pressure is taken and heart rate is constantly monitored. Then comes the rowing machine which is used for about 15 minutes. Finally specific stretch exercises are to be performed. At the end of all this torture bloodsugar measurement and blood pressure again. Finally I can go home again. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9 a.m.

Of course all this after I had first taken care of the two dogs with their morning walk which lasts about 30 minutes.

Had a wonderful walk in Cook Park (picture) and found trillium ovatum in early bloom and late bloom. It seems the plant starts out white and with age slowly turns pink and then a darker maroon color. The local plant society members don't seem to know about it, because last year when I found this nobody was able to clear this point up. When I went onto the net I only got messages that the maroon color had been seen, no further explanation. Very puzzling to me, because I did know of this behaviour from observations with trillium grandiflorum.

So, here we are, I feel so much better and am finally able to take nature walks which I love so dearly again.

Have a wonderful day!

2007-03-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

Early spring flowers are fading away, and others are replacing them. We planted a row of pansies in the front and are discussing additions to be put into the empty places. Hopefully summertime will reward us with a lovely variety of colors.

I added pictures of a magnolia, azalea, and a viburnum on the flickr site.

On the other front of our well-being or not stands the important fact that today (26 March) I felt really well for the first time since February 15 when the stents were put in. It took some time with the new medications and some trial and errors to come to the result, which I am happy to report today. Yes, I am feeling so much better and I am very happy about it. Also today was the first day of me being in a cardiac exercise program. Three times a week form 9 till 11 I am going to a class where the instructions are given. Had no problems with the session today; actually one is hooked up to a heart monitor and blood pressure and pulse are monitored.

2007-03-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry - I just noticed that I said 'our pictures' but it should have been 'our photos'. But intelligent as you are it would have been only a small problem if none at all.

As to the numbering sequence on the label for a picture it goes like this: first the year, then the month, then the day on which the picture was taken. If there is a specific title or the name of the thing shown, then comes that information. Finally a sequence number because I often take 3 pictures of the item in one sitting and so the sequence of the shots gets preserved. To recapitulate:

YYYY MM DD NAME # -- makes sense?

Have a nice day and enjoy!

2007-03-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

2007-03-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

Lovely day again. Went out with the two dogs and visited 'Cook Park'. Those lovely pink trees were many places and I tryed hard to get a good picture. I wonder if I need to use a trypod.

Please klick on the right side on the lable 'our pictures' in order to go to the rest of the pictures in 'flickr'.

2007-03-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we had a visit from Viktor. Suzy was very excited about it, just like Viktor. On the other hand Figaro was of the opinion that Viktor had to learn some dog manners and snapped at him a few times. Viktor took the reprimands to heart and settled down a bit - but not much. Viktor's hair on the head had changed from silver to white and despite the butcher job of somebody cutting off hair around the nose and eyes he looked fine.

Otherwise I can tell about spring in the area. Trillium is in bloom and violets are out in many places.

2007-03-11T21:35:00.001-07:00

As you probably remember, I am not feeling too well. I failed a stress test and got 2 'stents' inserted around my heart. The problem was that did not seem to help too much. The stronger problem with catching my breath changed to an easier one, but then also a problem arose by just walking around the block. The changed problem was traced to a medication, which changed the heart rate from about 78 to 56 beats per minute. Now I am off this particular medication, but have to wait for 2 to 3 days until all traces of the medication are gone from my body. This is sometimes a bit frustrating and I have bouts of feeling upset. I do hope things will improve even if only slowly, but that they will get better.

On a more positive note: red tulips and a delightful azalea have joined the blooming parade. In addition forsythia, magnolia, and the first blooming trees now. I already loved the dark rose color last year and I think it is some kind of a plum (Velda thinks it is a cherry – OK, maybe). Don’t really know for sure but as I said I love the tree with its joyous looks.

HA! It seems the beta-blocker mediation has been removed from my body; I am feeling really well again.

2007-03-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

This is the upandgo blog for me. The address is synergy-upandgo.blogspot.com

The title in Google is German.

I am trying to get going again on this blog.

New pictures about spring flowers have been put up.

Have fun!

2007-01-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

We had about 3 inches of snow during the night. It did snow some more during the day, so the day was rather dreary. Here are the pictures I took to show off our beauty.

Enjoy.

2007-01-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

Something different this time. On December 14 we had a storm and Oregon's big spruce was damaged. The crown was torn off. All Oregonians hope it still will be the biggest one, but there are now some doubts. Washington State may now have the honour. Well, during the storm many branches were torn down from the trees and I did take a few pictures of some twigs overgrown by moss or lichens. Enjoy.

2006-12-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

Today we had a visit from Viktor here at our house. Viktor and his mother Suzy played a lot together. Figaro the alpha male was very reserved about it and only had a few sharp barks. Nevertheless all went well and we had a lot of fun together. Finally the two Suzy and Viktor had played enough and kind of passed out from exhaustion. Time to go home. What a delightful visit.

2006-12-19T09:49:00.000-08:00

On the 18th of December we took the opportunity available to go and visit Viktor in his new home. We were wondering if he would remember us. He did as we all could see by the joyous exhibit of greeting us. He left us on the 9th and it was not jet 10 days so the memory was still quite acute. He is doing very well and has already learned a new command for no - which suits the new owner better. I had been using an imitation of a short bark like his dad did.

When we came home both the mom and the dad sniffed is with great intensity at the places where Viktor had been. Velda's sweater and my lap were of great and prolonged interest. So there too was the memory of their offspring acutely present.

The visit was short but very happy for us to see Viktor in such a lovely new environment. It is a good feeling to see the little one being happy and giving joy to the owner.

2006-12-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

It is now for a few days that Viktor left for his new home. Both Figaro and Suzy are back to their normal way of life. We adults too have adjusted. It was a surprize for us that we did feel the going of Viktor as a loss. OK, now things are back to normal and we do hear good things from the new mom and dad. He is using the paper there and also his bed. A grand start.

More later.

2006-12-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

Viktor is gone - so this will be the last one in this series about us having him here. From now on you might hear how he is doing at his new parents.

The last days were very interesting. Our preparations for him going to his new home occupied us a lot. His bed went, newspaper with his scent on it went, his toys went, and so on. And then the great day came and suddenly we were having a hole in our daily lifes. But we heared that he made the adjustment just fine. Was happy to find his bed and the newspaper with the 'inviting' smell. All is well.

On the last picture you can see the tail making a nice loop - so I named it the loop tail picture.

2006-12-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

The first visit of Viktor to the vet went very smoothly. He only complained once when the chip was inserted into the neck muscle. All other checks were fine and he was pronounced "perfect". The new owner was along and totally delighted about the result. Afterwards, probably because of the vaccination, he was very tired and slept.

Of course we had mom Suzy and dad Figaro along and mom got her post operation check up and the wound from the c-section had healed very well. All other checks also showed no problems. What a delightful result.

Viktor (notice the K) has now graduated to the point of enticing his father to play with him. Typical stance of front paws down and hind paws up. He understands and uses licking the alphas mouth or roling on his back and exposing his belly. The two the often rump around the living room. OK, so it took a few days by the alpha barking and growling at the litle one (ha - a bit over 5 pounds by now) for him to get the rules for proper dog behavior.

Another nice thing is, that he apparently has also learned what no means. Teething is a problem and when he started biting my fingers to exercise his teeth and it hurt me, a short sharp 'no' was sufficient.

2006-11-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving feast was great. We had 9 people present. Sadly to say Barbara Lorenzen from across the street could not make it. We missed her especially since she is Velda's sister.

It turned out to be very difficult to get a picture of Victor's tail curving up over his back. This is the normal mode for the Havanese to carry their tail. Yes, the dipstick suddenly showed a growth spurt and is now nicely formed with respect to the required standard.

Lately Victor has been lax about going to the papers for his elimination. We have to watch a bit where we are stepping. But usually a quick glance about assures one about the safety of the surrounding floors and rugs.

2006-11-25T23:36:00.000-08:00

It's getting hard to keep up. First the tail developed from a dipstick to a circle going as expected over the back. Just as it is supposedly to be. Then there is more eating of solid food, and finally victor is practicing running. Not very smooth yet, but running.

In between I also got bit in the hand due to his trying to get his teeth into something nice. I bought some leathery chewing stick, but he prefers my hand and toes.

For a few days now I have been trying to take some pictures but whenever I get ready and think I got what I wanted, Victor had moved on to something new and more exciting.

Stay tuned.

2006-11-23T17:26:00.000-08:00

I just added a way for people to be alerted when I update the blog. Insert your email in the box on the right to sign up.

2006-11-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

Victor is about 5 weeks old. To our delight he discovered newspaper. He uses it for both poop and piddle. OK, so not 100 %, but it is a very promising start.

From waddling he advanced into running and the first tries of solid food are in progress. He, however, seems to love his mother's nourishment better.

2006-11-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

Victor is doing well. Yesterday Kris brought over the dog sleeping item and we put Victor in it. He sniffed around for a while and then got out. If you think that was the last of it you are wrong. That very afternoon and also all night he climbed by himself into it and slept. In the last case all night long. So the change over from our place to his new home will be made much easier. When he gets there he can go and find his old nest again. We had thought about it for some time and came up with this solution and it has worked out - at least so far.

Stay tuned for further news.

2006-11-15T21:22:00.000-08:00

Some new and latest pictures are up. Victor's walking is getting better, he even starts backing up. How about scratching? Ah, yes, and the first tooth is out. Again not much, but definitely there.

2006-11-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

About 3 p.m. this very afternoon I went to the living room and there sat Victor on the carpet. I asked Velda why she took Victor out f his box, but she said she did not do that. We looked at each other and then simultaneous said: he did it! Yes, he has and just now demonstrated it again.

Glory be.

2006-11-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Victor is up and running - well, maybe it is rather wobbling along, but nevertheless on all four and doing well. Also new is: today he had his first solid food, and he lapped it up quite well. So far he has not managed to climb out of his box. We put a soft teddy bear in the place where he sleeps and he is using it and snuggles up to it. We wonder if he misses some siblings. It would surely be nice for him to have some.

Mother Suzy is still very attentive to him and checks constantly for any excrements or other problems he might have. He, however, is only interested in getting at the nipples and nurse. This is however something she will not necessarily allow him to do. All at the right time and in good measure.

2006-11-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

All is well with the dogs. Victor's ears are growing longer and he s trying to get out of his box. This last effort is accompanied by a large number of groans and funny little noises. So far h has not managed it, but we can see it coming. He is now over 3 pounds and trying hard to walk.

2006-11-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

The pictures are posted. Please go and enjoy them. At this moment all pictures will be about the dogs - at least for the foreseeable future.

The cat Whisper has been told off by the mother Suzy and is staying out of the room where the pup is located. Even Figaro the male and father was told off in no uncertain tones and action. This latter happening surprised me. I observed earlier, when we just had gotten the female dog then 8 weeks old, that the male dog would bring food in his mouth trying to feed the little one. So what's up? Any comments are appreciated. -- Yes, I am aware that some animals have this habit of chasing the male away, but I was not cognizant of this happening in the canine group.

2006-10-31T21:44:00.000-08:00

October 31. Yes, the eyes are open, but if he can see is another question I will not discuss here. Today he also demonstrated that he is pushing mightily towards walking. The front legs do some good work and the hind legs are clearly pushing along.

These days only - note only! - one oz weight gain per day.

Tomorrow a few new pictures on the picture web place.

2006-10-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

The eyes and ears of Victor are still closed. But he is growing by leaps and bounds. More then doubled his weight and now - including tail - about 11 inches long. He complains audibly when he does not like what is happening - like a cold belly - and mother acts upset by it. OK, they both will live.

Pictures will be updated occasionally.

2006-10-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Velda writes:

Well, the great day arrived, though we didn't know it last Thursday when Suzy was restless all day and became more so as evening came on. She wanted out and in again and out again ten minutes later. She was very full of puppies and I thought sometimes her tummy was tight and it might be a contraction. The evening became night. I put her in her whelping box and she looked sadly out at me. Then I saw green stains on the towels. According to the books, this is a bad sign so I called the vet and he instructed me to wash carefully and put my finger into the birth canal to see if there a puppy was therein. My friend Sandy had promised to come to help -- she is an experienced breeder -- so I called her after the vet. She arrived, did the procedure more vigorously than I had done and agreed there was nothing. That action was supposed to stimulate labor but nothing happened. The vet then said we should go to the emergency veterinarian and probably would need a C-section.

X-rays showed four puppies and all were born alive by a C-section but only one survived. They were beautifully marked black and white with one white boy like Figaro. The one that lived is the big fellow that was blocking the passage. He is really a darling -- black with white paws and tip of the tail and a sliver of white on his nose. The birthweights varied from 5 and a half ounces to 11 ounces (that is about the size of a Lab pup!). He is doing fine so far and Suzy recovered from her anesthetic well and soon began to lavish maternal care upon her one child. Figaro is fit to be tied being kept out of the room.

We had a rough night -- I turned off the light at 3:30 a.m. Friday morning and had to be up again to leave the house at 8:15 to pick up Suzy and the boy. The emergency clinic closes at 9 and we stopped by our regular vet on the way home. Suzy has to take antibiotics for 5 days because there was some contamination during surgery. When we picked her up she would let him nurse but paid no attention to him; but soon I began to wonder if she licks him too much. This one beautiful puppy is going to be sold to our friends Kris and Clint Fowler -- they wanted a girl but will take a boy. That is, he'll go to them if he is truly healthy. He seems vigorous and is nursing strongly and looks as if he got all the good stuff

The coming of the puppies has been occupying our minds a lot and now that the experience of the whelping is over we may be able to think of something else -- like the puppy! He's been named Victor as he won it all. He is polished by his mother's tongue and fed so generously that he had gained to 13.75 oz by Sunday. That morning Suzi tried to find a new nest for him. I think we have allowed too many people to come and admire him so today we'll keep it quiet. Now on Monday Victor weighs a full pound!

2006-10-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the operation an x-ray showed 4 puppies. Yes, x-ray, not ultrasound. The little one started to weigh in at 11.2 oz. Next day 12 and one half, then 13 three quarters, next day 1 pound, and today 1 pound 2 and one half oz. He is growing by leaps and bounds. As I said black with a white tail-tip and white paws.

2006-10-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

Pictures are on flickr

2006-10-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Today, October 17, about 9 a.m. Victor weighed in at 1 pound 2 and one half oz. He has definitely grown. My oh my 4 days old and getting more lively.

Mother is doing great and is beginning to walk around a bit. Last night Velda took her out for a little walk without a leash. Today she will be back on the leash. Things are getting much more normal

2006-10-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Great news!

Our Suzy had puppies. The x-ray showed four, but the first one in line was too big and his head in the wrong position so it ended up to be a cesarean. All were alive and around the normal weight, but for the first one which was close to double the weight. The other three did not make it and so we now have one puppy. A lovely male, black mostly and the tail has a white tip. It seems to me that also the paws are white. Tentatively called Victor and already sold.

Birth weight 11.2 oz, next day 12.7, third day 13 oz. I think he is nursing on 3 nipples.

Suzy turned into a super mom and we are very happy with her on this.

Watch for further development

synergy