I thought I’d show off some more of the images I’ve taken over the past year. Here is a brief selection. I’m also testing out the ability to do prints from it, with a freaking cool web company. Go Fotomoto ! So unless you view my Facebook or Twitter streams, this should all be new…
Anyhow, here’s a few of them, possibly to add more later.
So without taking too much time to go over why I’m here [yet]; I’m sitting in a cheapo, nondescript motel in Wall, South Dakota. I spent most of the last two days on the road, looking at the countryside, trying to find radio stations, and thinking. I’ve needed some time to be alone with my thoughts the past few months. My blog has taken the punishment. I apologize, blog. And the 2 readers I think you still have with you.
But I’m here. In a town with a population of 810. I think, I could stay here, if it didn’t get busy like it does…. Sturgeous and Badlands National Park bring crazy amounts of people here in the summer. Now? Now, I’m about 1 of 6 cars in this whole village, that isn’t from here. 
Badlands National Park became my battle cry the past few days. To get here. To hike it, to camp in it, and to photograph it. I will fail at one and a half of those attempts. But. Considering I never told a soul where I was going, it’s ended up just as well. Except the temperature drop. Except the rain. Except that I didn’t bring all of my glass with. Aside from that; I offer simple proof of my existence. Me over the mountains of wet, shit, I climbed today. Metaphorically, I’m not sure the mountain amounts to a hill of beans for me, but its been cathartic.
If internet dating was a business, with would be the government subsidized, maximum benefit receiving, zero profit, kind of thing we read about in the paper that soak up tax dollars, and do literally nothing but fuzzy, feel good shit.
Its welfare, in a special line item appropriation, extended to half black-half asian, twin, teenage pregnant mothers that speak only Ugandan or Bengali, and can’t recognize shapes because of an intense lack of education by ruthless male figures in their home country. Internet dating really just jabs its hooks into the downtrodden, the less fortunate, and the never-will’s, to pump up hope. Hope comes at the cost of everyone else.
My point is, that one solid month back into the internet dating realm, across 3 sites mind you, I have zero replies. On one site alone I’ve lit off 58 messages. Nothing. Its false hope. Of all the women I’ve seen online, let alone looked at more than twice, and bothered to read a profile; maybe 10% are attractive to me. Which, honestly means there are about 10 to 40 out there. From Minnesota to Missouri. That’s not helping to do much else than give false hope. Especially when none of them answer you. Its frustrating. Imagine walking around a party where people are talking and being introduced; and after a night of 58 attempts; not one person says “hello” back to you. How disrespectful is that? How is this any different, I might ask?
I can tell you how its NOT any different. These are not random social networking sites, where I’m hammering away trying to find a skank. These are dating sites. Populated by adults, that "opt in” to the service. You would think that people going to these sites, who spend time making profiles, would probably want to converse and meet people. I guess its not about that. So why would you go to a social gathering, and not be social and introduce yourself, or try to meet people? I would stay at home. But I’m cruising these sites because I want that moment in my mind, where I probably aren’t alone in this world, and maybe it is a couple of mouse clicks off.
There are only two reasons women are even on these things. First and foremost,I think, that most of these dating sites are really just ways for women to pound their own ego higher. Judging by the information changes, it looks like 10-15% are people in relationships that aren’t swinging. So the max actual crowd to pick from drops to 85% of what you think it is. That’s nice. Again, why join a site like that? Next, I’d say 20 to 30% are listed as bisexual. Which means what? Because by the time you are pushing 30; and you haven’t figured out your own orientation, you might not be ready for a relationship. Pool size drops to 65% of expected size. Next, you figure in the number of smoking hot women, that have no intention of anything other than giving some dork an erection. Call her “viagra,” but that on purpose. Knock it back 10% more. Now we are at the real pool. Half the size you think it is.
This brings in the second reason women on these sites. By and large, they are damaged goods, unattractive, or unwilling to find a date in the real world. Seriously. Lets not count the small group like me for now, stick with it. If they are attractive, and normal, and even venture outside once per day; men will find them. Bees and honey. Shit and flies. Ice and water. You can’t hardly get one with out the other. But they aren’t. Damaged goods is a big class, but refine it to say: emotionally incompatible, incomplete acceptance of past misgivings, or burdened by life circumstances. All of it is the same category. In the month I’ve been hitting this hard, its most of what I see in “real” women out there. These are women that can’t do a conventional relationship… they are too domineering or masochistic. They do not give and take in a natural way. They focus or obsess to unfair levels about potential mates, or are just plain chock full of “father figure issues,” that aren’t fair for anyone to deal with. Not only that, this is the group that probably had a kid [or several] at 20, which didn’t turn out so great. Maybe they smoke crack still. Who f’ing cares. Its all the same. Defect on arrival. Send it back. Not only that, we get the girls that self-assuredly, can’t make it work in the normal world of dating. So they put up out of focus pictures, pictures in costumes, pictures of friends, or non-personable shit as self portraits. Anything but let the internet public see them for what they are. Lastly, we have the ones that just are unwilling to settle for what is around them. They are the best case scenario of all.
I count myself, of sorts for comparisons sake, in the last line. I get it. I’m no male model. I don’t have 6 pack abs, or gloss myself with nicknames. I’m largely a bust by age 30. I couldn’t make a regular relationship last more than 4 months on my own, and I haven’t found one female, in my life [including my own mother for shit’s sake], that genuinely enjoys spending time with me. I know I’m a loser in the real world. So, like me, these girls are looking on the internet. But not looking at the same time. Frustrating for sure. Not looking? Well no one else seems to be interested in a guy, that’s titling messages “just looking to meet people.” Not, fuck me in the broom closet like a hooker. Not, marry me the minute you meet me. Not, I want to knock you around to show you how I love you. Just looks to meet people. I ask about their interests; if they say something funny, I mention that. I compliment their pictures if they look good, and I relate to hobbies and interests that are common.
Its unfortunate. Not only am I pathetic in the real dating world, I’m flaming out fast in the fake world of internet dating. But, its a last ditch effort. For months I’ve been serious about needing a real chance at a relationship. Not a given, guaranteed thing. But I need a fucking chance. I think I deserve it. The fickle mob, that is my judge, denies me that, and bail.
available online Qctimes.com
by Kurt Allemeier
A former Davenport alderman who served a troubled tenure on the city council has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Ronald Van Fossen, 67, of 4523 S. Concord St., was charged Thursday stemming from an incident earlier in the week. He is scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 27.
Van Fossen served one term on the council, from 2006-2008, marred by arrests for domestic abuse, a stint in alcohol rehabilitation and a sexual harassment lawsuit by a city employee that resulted in a $92,000 settlement.
It was a 2007 conviction for domestic abuse that led to the firearm charge, a court affidavit states.
Davenport police investigating his vehicle being stolen recovered it Saturday in the 2200 block of East 12th Street and found a handgun inside, the affidavit says. The next day, officers asked Van Fossen whether he owned the handgun. Van Fossen said he did.
Van Fossen appeared in court Friday. He was not booked into the Scott County Jail.
----------
RonRon, I have missed you. You and your stupid antics are what this town needs again. Get your ride ganked. Leave your gat in the front seat, and let the police find it down around 12th street. Lets see if that makes news. Bitchin' RonRon is back baby!
Its a fair question. I tend to run away. The hardest part about having a long term commitment with my blog. Much like a mate, my blog and I have had moments where we separate and come back together again. I think… think, that this is the initial “get back together” awkwardness that symbolizes the reconciliation. So a brief explanation of the past few weeks…
Well going back to April. The “me” part of the relationship was true this time, when I say, its not you; blog, its me. Keeping a personal narrative short, I found out that I’m diabetic. Among other things. While being diabetic itself isn’t much of anything [18 million Americans plus are diagnosed, with nearly 60 million in a pre-diabetic state], its the rest of my life, is diabetes. Confused? Its not something you take a pill for, and poof, a month later its done. Its something I can’t forget about. I’m also under going other tests at this point for other things. Here again, the point really is; I’m getting old. Period. I need to come to the understanding that I won’t live forever. Instead, mortality lies ahead of us at every turn.
Aside from that. I spent some time alone, outside of the digital world. I’ve been drifting around the swirls of my own imagination. Translate that to mean more photography and more writing. Not that either are particularly good; but I’ve made an effort to do more of it. It seems like I’ve had to spend more time focusing on my physical state, knowing that, I know I need to focus more on my mental state. Expressing things on paper and in print helps. The frustration and the underlying uncertainty of life ahead is as helpful to the process as anything else could be. Maybe more on that later. I’ve been told I should push for a Lulu.com release. Maybe.
As far as the rest of my life; its consumed with working, and hiding from the fear of myself. I’ve even avoided consuming media as much as I had been accustomed to. Netflix is happy with this decision, as are the 5 news blogs, and 6 podcasts I subscribe to. As for now, I think I’m willing to take the “pause button” off for a while. Maybe get back to a state of normalcy, if I can.
by ninemsn staff [available online via MSN, March 15 2010]
An obese mother in the US is trying to put on weight in order to become the world's fattest woman.
Donna Simpson, from New Jersey, weighs 273kg but told the Daily Mail newspaper she had her heart set on reaching her goal weight of 1000lb (450kg) in two years.
The 42-year-old already holds the title of the world's fattest mother after giving birth to her daughter in 2007 when she weighed 241kg.
"I'd love to be 1000lb ... it might be hard though, running after my daughter keeps my weight down," Ms Simpson told the Daily Mail.
Ms Simpson, who needs a mobility scooter to go shopping, eats huge amounts of junk food each week and tries to move as little as possible so she doesn't burn off as many calories.
"I do love cakes and sweet things, doughnuts are my favourite," she said.
Ms Simpson said she also loved eating sushi and would often eat 70 big pieces in one go.
Her 49-year-old partner Philippe — who she met on a dating site for plus-size people — was encouraging her to reach her goal, she said.
"I think he'd like it if I was bigger ... he's a real belly man and completely supports me," she said.
To put on enough weight, Ms Simpson will need to eat 12,000 calories a day, which is six times the recommended daily intake for women.
In order to pay for the enormous amounts of food she is eating — her weekly grocery bill is $815 — Ms Simpson makes money by running a website where men pay to watch her consume fast food.
=================================================
this is soooo full of goodness. i cant focus.
James Brown's daughter has claimed the singer's body has gone missing from its crypt.
LaRhonda Pettit, 48, alleges the body of Brown, who died in December 2006 aged 73, is being hidden to prevent a full autopsy being carried out.
Ms Pettit said the official cause of death, which was said to be a heart attack brought by pneumonia, is not the real reason behind the Godfather of Soul's passing.
Ms Pettit, who underwent a DNA test in 2007 to prove she was Brown's daughter, believes there were several people involved in Brown's death.
She said: 'My daddy's body has disappeared. I have no clue where it was taken, but I need to know where.
'I'm convinced his death was suspicious and I want the people responsible brought to justice.
'The only way to do that is to exhume his body and have an autopsy. I cannot understand why one was never conducted.'
She added to America's Globe newspaper: 'It was common knowledge that my daddy took illegal drugs.
'He was also hooked on various prescription painkillers. At the very least there were enablers who helped cause his death.'
Ms Pettit, who is 99.99 per cent likely to be Brown's daughter, said the singer had a relationship with her mother after meeting her at one of his performances in the 1960s.
She is one of 12 people who came forward following Brown's death claiming to be one of his illegitimate children.
Brown's body is said to have been sealed in a temporary crypt at his daughter Deanna's South Carolina Home while arrangements are made for his permanent burial.
