The Elfin Forest

2018 Album of the Year- Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats: Tearing at the Seams

2019-01-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

Since 2017, at the beginning of the year, I create a Playlist named for the current year. During the year, as a song strikes my fancy I drop it into that year's playlist. It could be a old song, could be a new one. The songs that fill each year often strike a sentimental tone or feeling based upon the events at that time. For instance, my 2018 playlist has a few Cranberries songs in memory of the death of Delores O' riordan.

The Year started off musically with The War on Drugs and their sublime "Thinking of a Place". I think I listened to this long track at least 50 times. Japanese Breakfast make me blush and I even gave props to The Greatest Showman with the standout track "This is Me". Being the father of a little girl, this one made me smile.

I had a slight Kurt Vile obsession after discovering Deluxe Daze(Post Haze), I still cant get enough of "Wakin on a Pretty Day".

My go to girl, Neko Case dropped a new Album "Hell On". Favorite Track? Probably Gumball Blue for the winner of the best lyric of the year:

"I've lived singing your songs, Long-Legged mazes and English geometry..."

What does it mean? To me it reminds me of my own decades long love of The Cure, but that's me.

After all that, I kept returning to a Album that came out in the first quarter.

2018 Album of the Year- Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats: Tearing at the Seams

It is hard to describe their sound, a little R&B, a little soul, a little 60's doo-wop mixed with Gaslight Anthem's 59' Sound. Their sound is classic, vintage, yet relevant and joyful. I kept returning to this Album throughout my year and its up's and downs. This year as I observed changes in relationships, the cruelty of old age and death and the unremitting march of time the title track "Tearing at the Seams" touched me in many ways:

Well, half of us tied and
Half of us in chains
We'll cover our eyes and
We'll cover our mouths just the same

Those lyrics reminded me that so much of life is beyond our control, and our ability to change. We are at the mercy of time, and others actions. Still, as the final lyrics of the Album say....

"They are going to have to drag us away.."

Those final lyrics of the track...half sung, half bellowing bring the entire affair to a poignant close.

Star Wars Last Jedi Review

2017-12-20T12:58:00.000-08:00

I settled into my theater seat this Saturday, giddy with nostalgic anticipation for a bit of my youth. Remembering watching Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in the theater as a teenager, I looked forward to the epic tale to be splashed upon the screen.

In my mind the shadow of The Force Awakens loomed with the knowledge we would learn more about the characters introduced and finally have answers to the many mystery's posed:

Who was Rey really and why did she have the Force?
Who are Rey's Parents? Why did they leave her on Jokku?
Who is Snoke? Has he been a part of SW lore all along? Maybe a advisor to Palpatine? Darth Palageius himself?
Why did Luke make a elaborate map to his location, and what will he reveal when found? What has Luke been doing since the events of ROTJ?
Is Finn part of the plan, what woke him up and caused him to defect? If he Force sensitive?

Many many questions would be answered in The Last Jedi!

I enjoyed much of the Last Jedi as a fun Sci Fi sort of romp. Many hated the Casino Planet but I always like visiting strange new worlds, and I always love creative creature design. I liked the ship to ship battle scenes particularly the opening scene.

The Battle with Snoke, Kylo and Ray was great. The Battle with Rey, Kylo and the Praetorian Guard was epic as well.

Many of the set pieces were fun and exciting and taken by themselves are excellent. My problem with TLJ is the over all plot. What was it?

Plot A: The Rebels try to out run the Imperial fleet
Plot B: Rey tries to get Luke to Teach her the Force and join the Rebels.
Plot C: Finn and Rose side adventure to find a code breaker

In between we learn why Kylo Ren turned to the Dark Side. Leia dies then comes back to life, Luke projects himself to a different planet in order to stall the Imperials and give the rebels time to escape. Finn kills Phasma.

What I didn't like:

The overall plot made no logical sense. The Rebel Fleet tries to stay just out of cannon range of the Imperial fleet. Why cant another imperial ship hyper jump in front of the ship? Or unleash the whole squad of Tie Fighters?

Why did Luke hide a map to his location when he did not want to be found? The Island was a cool concept and had some neat fun moments, but nothing that helped with the plot. The darkness beneath the Island intrigued me immensely until we get to see it....its a mirror! Why not create real tension and terror? How about a creature(Spider) form of Snoke that would have clued Rey into the fact that she was being manipulated? A wasted concept right out of ESB that disappointed.

The Finn/Rose sub plot to find the Code-breaker turned out to be unnecessary to the plot and the cause. Its like someone came up with a the idea of the casino planet so the shoehorned it in. Again I enjoyed the visuals and creature design, but it made no sense to the plot.

Killing Snoke- why? He was a super devious, manipulative and a very interesting character. We wanted to know more about his origins. It was a great moment admittedly, but then follow through with it. This film would of been so much better has Rey joined Kylo and created a Sith Lord/Apprentice scenario. This would have left a huge cliffhanger..will she/wont she set up for the third film.

Lastly....Luke's behavior and death...If we parallel Obiwan/Luke to Luke/Rey we see that Obiwan helped Luke on his journey despite the outcome with Anakin. He acted as a mentor. Luke became a big grump and downer. His lessons sucked, and it seemed that he apostatized from the Force religion. He didn't care and even sought to destroy the sacred texts. Luke would never do this. Furthermore he would have never tried to kill his nephew, Kylo even if he thought he could sense darkness in him. Out of Character. It was also out of character for him to "phone in" his confrontation with Kylo at the end.

A force hologram? He actually could of used the force to block the fire from the blasters, that would have made some sense.

So where does the film leave the series? No one from the original series is left that is significant to the plot after this entry. I do not believe the new cast of characters are strong enough to carry the series. Carrie Fisher is not returning obviously, Luke is dead, Han is dead, Chewbacca is regulated to a Porg wrangler and R2-CP3P0 are "offline". Who is left?

Kylo, Rey, BB8, Finn and ......who?

I think the writers of this film left JJ Abrams a real mess for the third entry.

My final rating is 3 tacos out of 5.

2016-11-07T07:31:00.002-08:00

ST Beyond review

I had my second viewing of ST Beyond this weekend. My wife did not catch the film during its theatrical release, so she asked to watch it on the telly this weekend.

Her observations:

This is the best looking Star Trek crew ever!
Bummed at the death of Anton Yelchin
Finally got to see Idris face
Krall is like Dorian Grey( I totally missed that the first time)
Loved it!

I have to admit watching the second time, I really had fun. Still bummed the Enterprise was destroyed. I loved all the interactions and crew moments.

My gripes are:

Why is Kirk so depressed about being in space only 3 years in? Gald he regained his mojo at the end. I don't like depressed Kirk.
After the second viewing I understand Krall's intentions a bit more( great Xindi and Romulan war references). However I wish they would have done a flashback with him and really rooted his character. I would have preferred a known character to a new one with little context.

All in all great re-watch, and I really hope they continue with new adventures in this Cinematic Universe.

4 tacos out of 5

Check out this tour of a 18th Century Brewery.

2016-11-05T17:07:00.001-07:00

18th Century Brewery Walk Through- super cool.

Star Trek Beyond Trailer Impressions

2015-12-19T17:09:00.000-08:00

The ST : Beyond trailer dropped a few days before the wide release of SW: The Force Awakens.

I thought it was a nice break form the dark tone of ST:ID- and I think that was the point. The music : Beastie Boys, Sabotage hearkens back to ST 2009, it adds a nice playful aspect to the trailer. The Bones/Spock dynamic plays well in the trailer and enlists a nice chuckle.

It appears the Enterprise is once again destroyed/incapacitated and the crew is split up on a alien planet. My guess is that a Alien entity brings trespassers into its space to this planet for some sort of purge...

A new martial arts wielding female alien character is prominent as a ally. Edris Elba's character is revealed as Jen'Hadar like alien. Big mistake in my opinion to cover up Idris Elba in prosthetic and make up- Elba shines a as actor and covering him up diminishes the Gravitas he brings. We will see...

This article gives me hope for the Film: Pegg interview from ST: Beyond.

I think the trailer was made for the SW audience, and I saw it play before SW. It did get some good reactions from the crowd.

Olancha Peak Brew

2015-12-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

Update:

In 2015 my brother, Michael Espinosa and I decided to home brew our favorite beverage: Beer.

Now many have embarked on this endeavor with Craft Beer a hot trend in CA. We have at least 4 Craft Breweries within a 10 mile radius.

Surf Brewery
Topa Topa Brewery
Poseidon Brewery
Institution Ale Company

What a great time to be a lover of the craft!

We have one advantage: We have our own well! That well is in very small desert town in Owens Valley area California. It is 200 ft deep and is fed by the Sierra Nevada Aquifer. There is almost zero agriculture in the area. We have tested our water and it is clean!

In 2015 we successfully completed two Pale Ales using the extract method. Looking at 2016 we want to evolve into a All Grain Setup- this is daunting at the moment but I am researching and acquiring the equipment necessary.

Stay tuned for a update!

Star Wars The Force Awakens Review- * Spoilers Ahoy*

2015-12-19T10:53:00.002-08:00

In anticipation of the watching Star Wars the Force Awakens I decided to view: A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back (I ran out of time for Return of the Jedi). I also had fun with Cinema Sins take on all 6 movies.

It occurred to me that the Star Wars universe requires an incredible amount of coincidental meetings of people and things in order to work. I will not go into detail but any fan knows this is true. And I was struck with that same notion while watching Star Wars the Force Awakens. One example of this early on in Star Wars the Force Awakens is when Finn and Ray stumble upon “the old bucket of bolts”, the Millennium Falcon on Jakku. The scene takes place as Finn and Ray are escaping The First Order by foot. They run into an open plain and see two ships in a junkyard. The Millennium Falcon being one of them. They run to the other ship, rejecting The Millennium Falcon as a choice, but that ship is destroyed in front of their eyes so they only choose the Millennium Falcon because it was the only choice. This is just one example of how random coincidence serves as a plot device to bring the “heroes” together. Maybe this plays to the series notion of Fate and the Force working in mysterious ways. Either way, on reflection, an overuse of coincidence and chance meetings becomes too cute and strains credulity, even for “A Galaxy Far, Far Away”.

Star Wars the Force Awakens is a good Star Wars Movie. Better than all the prequels and Return of the Jedi. It stands in a solid third place behind Empire Strikes Back #1, A new Hope # 2. All of the things we love about the Star Wars Universe are here. In fact the film mirrors a New Hope in many Ways:

ü Secret mission given to a droid

ü Hero Character living on a Desert stumbles upon said droid

ü Heroes escape Desert planet in the Millennium Falcon

ü Cantina Scene featuring the scum and villainy of the galaxy

ü Death Star like Super Weapon with a single weak point to be exploited

ü Hidden parental relationships to main characters

You get the point. The film delivers what we all liked about Star Wars a New Hope for fans and new comers in spades. This is a very enjoyable film and I look forward to repeat viewings.

The character of Ray is bright and instantly likable as is the story of Finn. They make a good duo and we want to see these two adventures together. There is much left a mystery about Ray and we learn that she is a Jedi. We have to assume she is the daughter of Luke Sywalker or possibly a unknown Jedi(she is way too young to be Obi Wan’s daughter).

That being said I have a big issue with the main antagonist: Kylo Ren.

Kylo Ren is the son of Han Solo and Leia Skywalker. We find this out halfway through the film through a touching scene where we learn that Han and Leia have been estranged from each other because they lost their son to the dark side. We understand that they sent Kylo Ren( Han calls him Ben) to Luke for training to be a Jedi. We also learn that one of Luke’s apprentices turned to the dark side and murdered the other Jedi. We assume this is Kylo, but are not told this specifically. This perceived failure on Luke’s part is the reason why Luke disappeared. The droid BB-8 secret mission is to deliver a map showing Luke’s secret location to the Rebel alliance.

So the revelation that Kylo is Han and Leia’s son is big! Han and Leia vow to work together to bring Kylo home to the light. This theme of adolescent rebellion is one that, much like the death of a child or parent (JJ often uses these themes, see the opening scene of STAR TREK 2009) can be a great plot device to draw viewers in and create an emotional connection. As a parent I was invested in seeing this play out.

However, after vowing to bring Kylo home, Han sees his chance when he coincidentally crosses paths with Kylo toward the end of the film. Their meeting is emotional, well-acted, we feel Han’s pain and longing to save his son. Then, Kylo commits Patricide.

I disagree with this choice. It makes Kylo Ren completely nonredeemable. It completely defeats the point of bringing Han Solo into this film. It was a cheap trick and the film did not earn Han Sol’s death. If you wanted to Kill Han Solo off, fine, but don’t have his son do it! In the context of SW this makes no sense. The themes of SW are redemption, turning away from the Dark Side to the Light. As much as we hated Anakin in the Prequels, in the end, he saves his Son from the Emperor. Now, maybe Han didn’t die, we see him impaled and then fall to his death. We then see Chewbacca leave with the Millennium Falcon. Chewbacca would not leave without Han so he must be dead. Either way Kylo meant to kill his father.

For this reason I could not give Star Wars the Force Awakens 4 tacos out of 5.

Final verdict:

3.5 tacos out of 5

The Road Book Review

2010-01-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road was a easy read, by that I mean its not a 2000 page book with small type. It a book that could be read in a day if you wanted to. I took a few days, a hour here and there to finish. In that sense it is easy. That is the only sense. The story is dank, dark, morose and downright depressing. Literally.

The story takes place in a Post apocalyptic America, I gather it is somewhere is the south east. The skies are all grey and full of ash and soot. Trees are charred, animals are scarce. Paragraph upon paragraph describing bitter cold nights, dark skies and a charred landscape. Often I read a paragraph only to think to myself that the exact idea was already expressed a dozen times using different words.

But because the depressing, bland world McCarthy creates sets up the reader in a sort of funk, it also makes for engrossing reading when something does happen. And it does get intense. The story itself is rather small, with a narrative folowing a father and son as they are basically Hobo's traveling along a dangerous road, following a creased map, trying to get to the coast. They have to scrounge for food and shelter along the way, all the while trying to avoid humanity. It seems the surviving humans have taken to survival by any means necessary, including cannibalism.

During the books narrative you just know the pay off is going to be bad and heart wrenching, and to a point it is. I will not spoil the ending but I will say that if you hang into the end, McCarthy allows the sun to poke through the clouds for a moment or two.

Rating 3/5

Naomi Girl

2009-07-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

We had a great time today at Underwood farms in Moor park. Evan had a blast seeing all the tractors and animals, and we picked lots of raspberries( Evan ate most of the ones he picked). Alysa made some shortcake with the berries we picked. Very cool, and fun. Here are some great pictures I took today:

R.I.P. Maynard 11/97 - 10/28/08

2008-10-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Micheal and Laurens Wedding

2008-08-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Mark your calander. My little brother is marrying a very sweet girl named Lauren . The date is November 8, 2008. We have been having fun talking about all the arrangements and all the planning.

Congrats Guys!

http://www.brides.com/weddingwebsite/bigglesandmichael/

The Salsa Festival 2008- Oxnard, Ca

2008-07-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

The Salsa Festival, Oxnard, Ca

Every year during the warm days of Summer, at the end of July, the City Of Oxnard hosts the Salsa Festival. Oxnard is better known for that other festival held in May known as the Strawberry Festival.

I have to say that The Salsa Festival in my opinion is the better Festival. It may not be as big or famous, but it sure seems to be getting that way. It’s still a small area, not nearly as big as College park, but that may be a good thing. Major props go to the event organizers. Crowded but not so much as to curse humanity and the Weather was perfect!

What do expect of a festival? I expect it to be well organized, and to have at least something to do with the name of the festival. How many of us have been to a “Festival” only to be paraded by numerous dubious vendors selling incense and garbage that has nothing to do with festival it claims to represent. (Cough* Citrus Festival in Santa Paula*cough)

Yes there is knick knackery of every type, but there is also Salsa, and lots of it! And there is Salsa Music, Live! And Salsa Dancing, ooh the Salsa festivities go on and on. Who can forget the crowd favorite Salsa Tent. For 5 bucks you get a bucket of chips and 10 tickets to try salsa from the vendors lining the tent. I actually did a shot of Habenero Salsa on a dare from one of the vendors! And yes I had the Obligatory roasted corn, and snow cone.

This is the festival of choice for me now. Now if I could just learn to Salsa I’d be in business.

New Trek Poster at Comic Con

2008-07-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Red Alert!

Paramount just released brand new posters that will be given out at Comic Con is San Diego. These look really good with Quinto's Spock looking awesome! I cannot wait!

Bana's charachter looks strange, with the tatoo's. He is supposed to be a Romulan, he looks like a Biker Romulan to me. Pine looks good as Kirk as well. We will see how his version of Kirk vibes. Zoe looks good as well. I wonder why they are showing Zoe instead of Urban. Very interesting. Here is the EW link:

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20213200_3,00.html
Enjoy-

Book Review- Death Comes For The Archbishop- Willa Cather

2008-07-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Book Review:

Death comes for the Archbishop-

Willa Cather

Father Valliant and Archbishop Jean Latour grew up together in a small French village. Both men as teenagers dedicated their lives to the Catholic Church, making a solemn vow to one another to dedicate their lives to the church. Foregoing the privileges of family and marriage, they sought a life of spirituality in service to their God. With this type of dedication it is really not surprising that they would volunteer for an assignment that would completely transform their lives and remove them from the comfort and filial comforts of their beloved France.

The American West and the Mission system established by the Spanish Fathers needed the benevolent oversight of Rome. The diocese founded by the Spaniards had been overtaken by Mexican fathers with loose renderings of the rites and lifestyle becoming of a men of the cloth.

Father Valliant and Bishop Latour were to establish a Roman presence in the New World, reforming and settling the west. The tale spun in Cathers epic is weaved from the lives of a real life Bishop from France, and experiences form other people of the period.

Reading Cather’s work is like stepping back in time. Her poetic style is soothing and mesmerizing. The work is told in a chronological fashion starting out in Rome then following the misadventures of these two men until both of their deaths. Throughout both of their experiences a sense of loneliness and isolation is revealed in both men’s lives. Valliant and Latour are two vastly different men in personality and style, yet their childhood bonds form an interdependent partnership.

The lives of the Indians and Mexican people are detailed in vivid language and sensitivity. You will not soon forget the imagery invoked by the snake worshiping rituals, or the run in with a serial killer in the mountains of New Mexico.

"He observed also that there was no longer any perspective in his memories...He was soon to have done with calendared time, and it had already ceased to count for him. He sat in the middle of his own consciousness; none of his former states of mind were lost or outgrown. They were all within reach of his hand, and all comprehensible.
Sometimes, when Magdalena or Bernard came in and asked him a question, it took him several seconds to bring himself back to the present. He could see they thought his mind was failing; but it was only extraordinarily active in some other part of the great picture of his life--some part of which they knew nothing.
When the occasion warranted he could return to the present. But there was not much present left; Father Joseph dead, the Olivares both dead, Kit Carson dead, only the minor characters of his life remained in the present time." pp 290-291
Death comes for the Archbishop is one of my favorite books due to its intimacy and the atmospheric scenery it invokes. It is majestic yet deeply personal, Grand, and small. It is about lives of purpose, and the sacrifices we all must make in order to fulfill spiritual endeavors and the loneliness that can sometimes necessitate.

Highly recommended.

5/5

Death by Sushi

2008-07-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday, January 5th, 2008, 7:45pm

The day and time that Sushi officially died for me. Its possible that this death may be reversed, but in a way, Sushi has been dying a little every day for me.

It started with a ill conceived Uni shooter. Needless to say I had food poisoning for a week. Thinking back to my history with Sushi, while doubled over in pain, alternating between sitting on the toilet and kneeling before it, it shouldn't come as surprise.

In the late 1990's Sushi became Hip, trendy and exotic again. As its popularity surged, sushi shops opened with reckless abandon, and you can bet I was at every single one of them. Roll after roll, bite after bite, Sapporo after Kirin, a little bit of me died each time.

Looking at the Sushi menu at Harbor Sushi, the fatal blow seemed eminent. $18.00 for a Jalapeno/cream cheese/shrimp/tuna conglomeration roll thingy. At what point did we look at something that cost maybe $2.00 to produce, and agree that's spending $18.00 was OK?

Maybe its the economy that's is making me grumpy, with the continuing cratering of the housing market, pocket's are not so line with cash as they used to. With a $90.00 trip to the gas station every week, how long will we be wiling to pay these prices? Cost of one roll, one Sapporo, and one entree of Shortribds and tempura:$54.00.

The service was just there, not great, it took a long time to get what we ordered, and even longer to get her to come back to check on us. And the food, was very average.

So Sushi is dead, I want it to be resuscitated, I really do. Someone please call an ambulance.....

The LA Zoo!

2008-07-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

They Got Reggie! For those who don’t know Reggie is a American Alligator that some guy bought as a pet, but Reggie got to big for him in so he dumped him in a lake. Then Reggie started terrorizing the locals until Animal Control caught him and there is now at the LA Zoo. Take a picture with a local celebrity.

The family went up from Ventura County on the July 4th weekend. Although warm, there was a decent breeze. It is kind of hard to complain about Zoos but unfortunately I have a few beefs. First is the Lay out is way wacky. You will be walking a country mile, which I know is what you do at a zoo, but the layout is weird. Signage I found confusing with lots of walking until you realize that you entered a service road, and have to turn back. The main walkway is uphill with roundabouts primarily on the left side.

Second beef is with Zoo food in general. Man the food was bad. Fried Garbage, a grey hot dog and lines out the door, need I say more. I know the Zoos make a lot of money off of concessions, and you have a captive audience so you could serve up a shoe on a plate and we would have to eat it. Please a little quality! The animals eat better than your guests, at least there food is fresh.

Ok, so that’s it. We basically had fun, and would return. The Gorillas were awesome, as were the giraffes, and Chimps. Next time we will pack a lunch. If you go, say Hi to Reggie for me.

Wood Ranch Review

2008-06-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Wood Ranch-

Some will tell you that Wood Ranch is an upscale Claim Jumper. Some will tell you that it’s an overrated rib joint. I will tell you that it is delicious with a capital D.

I’ve been to Wood Ranch a bunch of time since its inception. It’s a local chain based in So Cal, (I believe Ventura County even). Remember when Black Angus was good? Maybe not, but Wood Ranch is like what Black Angus should be, or maybe was at one point in the distant past.

Wood Ranch is Upscale BBQ, served up real clean, and tasty. Décor, very woodsy, but not Kitschy, like Claim Jumper. Real clean lines, and modern, yet western. The food has always been great, and I have never had a bad meal. I had the Tri-Tip sandwich this week for lunch, and boy that was good. Sliced perfectly (not too thin, but not too thick) served on French roll, with BBQ sauce and a side of Fries.

Going to Wood ranch? Count me in.

Scenes from an Italian Resturaunt

2008-06-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Armando’s Italian Restaurant-
641 S. Ventura Road
Oxnard, Ca

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"

Me: Son what do you want to eat, beans and rice or Pasta?
Evan( 2 years old) : Pasta!

5 minutes later, after an hour playing in the park, we arrive at Armando’s. I alone will attempt to eat Spaghetti with a 2 year old at a sit down restaurant.

This would not even be possible if it were not for an extremely patient waitress. Thankfully she though to ask me if I wanted the sauce on the side- genius. The pasta with the sauce on the side allows for perfect sauce management- You do not- I repeat- Do Not want a bowl of pasta drowning in sauce with a 2 year old. I regulated the sauce into the pasta allowing enough flavors, without making a complete mess.

Amazingly the meal went pretty well with prompt service, Of course the table looked like Chernobyl, but we got through it. I had the Lasagna with meatballs on the side. Very hearty and homey. Classic flavors prepared in a family atmosphere.

At the end of the meal HAZ-MAT arrived to clean our table and the kid- we made it out in one piece!

Book Review: The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

2008-06-05T21:54:00.000-07:00

In the era of “green “ living, Timothy Egans’s depression era epic “The Worst Hard Time” seems eerily relative. Who doesn’t recall the opening moments of Steinbeck’s screen adaptation of “Grapes of Wrath”? A barren wasteland is depicted with rolling clouds blackening the sky, Bored out barns and weathered fences paint a bleak landscape in which Steinbeck’s characters head west.

We have all heard of the Dust Bowl era of the 1930’s but most of are unaware of the cause of the disaster. Most assumed this was a natural occurrence, however Egan chronicles the heartbreaking circumstances, which caused the earth to turn on its stewards.

What is most maddening is the fact that the pain and suffering could have been avoided. Ignorance, Hubris and greed were the plainspeople’s undoing. Not to detail the exact circumstance but to give you an idea, imagine the following:

Flat land covered by verdant native grasses, tilled up and destroyed. Underneath only the rich soil remain. Then after over harvesting the soil becomes unproductive. A drought then causes the soil to dry up, and become a fine dust. Then, as the winds drive across the plains, the exposed soil, no longer held in place by the native grass, becomes airborne and deadly. This scenario was repeated over millions of miles of Plains Land in the Midwest.

Egan tells in great detail how the above scenario came to pass. He follows several families, and details their struggle, including Russian Germans, sold on a dream. Egans style is a little choppy and abrupt, and I found myself stopping mid paragraph, due to the uneven flow of the narrative. Many sentences are short and simple. While this is fine in some instances I found the style to be a bit jarring.

However I did learn quite a bit, and gained an appreciation for the hardworking families that endured the painful period in American History. The lessons are grave, and poignant. While I remain skeptical as to the cause of Global Warming, this is a documented instance where man’s ignorance provided untold suffering to themselves and the environment. Caring for Gods Creation should be something all of us strive to be conscious of, and “The Worst Hard Time” provides the perfect motivation.

3 out of 5

Nordhoff Ridge Road- Ojai Valley, Ca

2008-05-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Ventura County has few a few Landmarks. Two Trees, the San BuenaVentura Mission and the Ventura Pier to name a few. One the most distinguished is the looming mountain range visible from all points north of the Grade, known as the Topa Topa Bluffs.

The granite cliffs mark pronounced diagonal etches across the mountains face. Often when one thinks of going to the mountains, these are the mountains one had in mind. Usually when venturing into the Los Padres National Forest the highest Mecca available is Reyes Peak atop Pine Mountain road, and that is where we often end up. Indeed Reyes Peak is a sight to behold, and arguably one of the best campsites in the tri counties.

But to truly reach “those mountains” the Topa Topa Bluffs, you have to do your homework. You cannot simply drive up the “33” and get there like you can with Reyes Peak. Access is available by permit only, through the Ojai Ranger station. The road to the bluffs is OHV access only; therefore a locked gate bars access from the general public. The ranger district only allows 15 vehicles up per day.

Unbelievably, after roaming these mountains for decades, I had never been to the Bluffs. But a year ago, I did some research and found the way to get to the Bluffs. Once I had my permit, and access code, I headed into the forest. Arriving at the gate, I felt like a kid with a backstage pass to Disneyland. As I unlocked the gate, headed thru and locked from behind, I felt the puzzled stares from other less fortunate campers. They didn’t have access! Huahhhh…Hauuhhhh! Only I did, I alone had domain over this sacred land! Sorry, back to reality.

I engaged four wheel drive, and proceeded to tear up the road. There are miles and miles of off road travel to be enjoyed, steep ascents, and uneven road abound. Off the main road it splits to the left or right. To the right the road leads to a old fire watchtower. Convivebly you could camp here, but there is one site with a fire ring and bench a few miles before you get to the tower. Taking the road to the left your journey hugs the mountain edge then dips into the valley for unspoiled views of Pierda Blancas, and Rose Valley Lake. Once on the mountain edge the road ends at a trail head that will take you directly to the Topa Topa Bluffs. A mile before the road ends there is the one singular campsite. From the site, you have clear views of the Oxnard Plain, the Ojai Valley, and the Bluffs themselves, so close you can make out the diagonal ruts visible form the city.

On May 23rd 2008 I visited the Bluffs for the second time. The weather did not cooperate and while we did stay the night, the temperature stayed at an icy 36f degree. Visibility was only 15-20 feet, so we did not get the views I have loved. I cannot wait to return. The solitude of the place inspires meditation, with only 2 campsites off the entire road, you can be assured privacy and silence. Just you and the bluffs.

Book Review: Mayflower

2008-04-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel Philbrick is my favorite nonfiction writer. I have read every book of his including the gripping"In the Heart of the Sea" and "Sea of Glory". All of his subjects tend to be nautical related, however in his latest work" Mayflower" he takes a more land based approach.

If you think you have an idea of how America began, and the story of the first colonies, be prepared to cast aside old assumptions. The Story begins by chronicling the motivations for leaving Europe in the first place. Why would a small group of English exiles living in Holland venture to a unknown world?

Once the exiles land in what is today New England the gripping tale unfolds with drama akin to James Feinmore Coopers" The Last of the Mohichans". Philbrick manages to capture the grime and foreboding of the time, and creates a taut sense of uneasiness throughout. All along the reader will find themselves wishing for the better part of human nature to prevail, only to be dissapointed and suprised.

The Tale takes a multi generational approach that covers over a century, but at the end feels connected to the charachters introduced at the onset. In conclusion I would like to quote a few paragraphs from the last chapter as I think they sum up the whole sad affair nicley:

"By forcing the English to improvise, the Indians prevented Plymouth Colony from ossifying into a monolithic cult of religious extremeisim. For their part, the Indians were profoundly influenced by the English and quickly created a anew and dynamic culture full of Native and Western influences. For a nation that has come to recognize that one of its greatest strengths is its diversity, the first fifty years of Plymouth Colony stand as a model of what America might have been from the Beggining."

"By the midpoint of the seventeenth century, however, the attitudes of many of the Indians and English had begun to change. With only a fraction of their original homeland remaining , more and more young Pokanokets claimed it was time to rid themsleves of the English. The pilgrims children, on the other hand, coveted what territory the Pokanokets still possessed and were already anticipating the day when the Indians had, through the continued efforts of Disease and poverty , ceased to exist. Both sides had begun to envision a future that did not include the other."

4/5

2008-03-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hey, this is N8, a guest blogger. Now first off I'd like to say that Benny is a good friend of mine! We go back a very long time. That being said, I disagree with his review of L & L Hawaiian BBQ.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/l-and-l-hawaiian-barbecue-ventura#hrid:1MHXIHfch0iq_lUlfAjeIg

His review was on maybe one or two items on the menu. He did not try my favorite item on the menu, the Loco Moco. Rice, hamburger patty, fried egg, gravy, I love it. He didn't try the Spam Musubi either. The rice is exactly how it should be, nice and sticky Japanese style! I was surprised that he didn't like the macaroni salad!

As regards his comments about the meals being on Styrofoam plates, lets face it, L and L is not a 5 star restaurant. If you want fancy plates, try the yellow house or someplace like that. L and L is island plate food brudda. We Hawaiians don't feel eat on no fancy plates. We eat the kind food that's the grind, shaka brudda!!! So I think you should try L and L, and maybe he should give it another try too! So until later, mahalo nui loa, and ALOHA!!!!

Lost in Lost

2008-03-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

Since Episode 1. I have been a Lost addict. There may have been some slight wavering in the middle of Season 3, but it did not last long.

Sometime between the hiatus between Season 3 and Season 4, I read the following Theory:

http://darkufo.blogspot.com/2007/06/vozzek69s-theory-of-everything.html

Please take the time to read this if you have not already. Now several episodes into Season 4 it seems this theory is playing out. Not all of the theory will bear out, but the basic concept will.

In a Nut Shell, the Island is a Nexus of Time, a stable island sitting in a sea of intersecting time lines.

Imagine a Circle. In the middle on the circle is stable platform. The circle rotates around this platform, while the platform remains fixed. If you step onto the platform from the circle while it is spinning, you will find yourself stabilized. Leaving the platform will place you back on the circle, only in a different Place on the circle, not the same place as when you started.

The island is like that fixed platform among many circling timeliness. Anyone who steps onto the Island leaves their existing timeline. They exist while on the Island in a time Limbo. Is time moving forward outside of the Island? Yes. But time on the Island is not Constant, sometimes its slow, sometimes its fast.

What happens when one leaves the Island? The enter their life only in a different TIMELINE of their life. Maybe they can jump into a timeline very similar to their own, but slightly different. Maybe Not.

Take last nights Episode of Lost : Ji Yeon

http://lostpedia.com/wiki/Ji_Yeon

Sun and Jin, leave the Island apparently, however Jin enters in a different timeline, one where he never married Sun, one where he still works for Paik Automotive though.

Sun stays in her own timeline because she has a "Constant" Her unborn daughter. Jin and Sun obviously conceived while on Island, or before the crash, it docent matter really. Jin is now alone off Island in his own timeline, one different, yet similar.

Many Questions to be answered to be sure.......