Dan L., I finally made it from position 125 at our local library to
having recieved the book "Eaarth : making a life on a tough new planet",
by Bill McKibben. Last I remember, from a few months ago, you had just
begun to read it on an iPad. What did you think of the book? Is it just
anther chronicle of humanity's descent into extinction, or did you find
hope as well?

It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any damage we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to come.

How was the experience of reading on a tablet, instead of from paper
pages? Can you cut and paste text from the tablet to a word processing
program?

I am curious about your thoughts, as I begin my own journey through this
barren landscape.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

Billy wrote:
Dan L., I finally made it from position 125 at our local library to
having recieved the book "Eaarth : making a life on a tough new
planet",
by Bill McKibben. Last I remember, from a few months ago, you had just

begun to read it on an iPad. What did you think of the book? Is it
just
anther chronicle of humanity's descent into extinction, or did you
find
hope as well?

Well I have not read all of the book yet. I get side tracked easily.
So far I will say, it is as you say, "just another chronicle of
humanity's descent into extinction" not an exact quote, "another" for
"anther". Not much hope, but not necessarily a descent into extinction.
Humans will adapt to a changing environment, like living on the planet
mars. Not much practical advice, like I already use a clothesline
instead of a dryer during the summer and use stainless steel canteen for
drinking water...

It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any damage
we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to
come.

If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known that is
in his book. The northwest passage is now passable, PH levels of the
oceans, trash everywhere shrinking icecaps...

How was the experience of reading on a tablet, instead of from paper
pages? Can you cut and paste text from the tablet to a word processing

program?

I have an iPad, much much more than an eReader. I am typing this
response on my iPad. I now read my news papers, newsgroups, blogs and
RSS, emails and books on it. I keep this thing with me at all times and
love it!

It's my GPS when I go somewhere, A graphing calculator that blows out my
TI89 calculator, does about 70% of what mathematica can do, app cost
$20. App's to track my diet and blood pressure. A speaking dictionary. I
use Wikipedia a lot when I study mathematics or searching for
information on programming. I can save Web articles for offline reading
later on. An app called epicures has thousands of recipes. I can watch
netflix movies and YouTube on it. I also watch MIT lectures on physics
on it. It is my music player, Internet radio in witch I have wireless
speakers for listening to music and talk shows. It is my drawing and
trackpad for my main computer, sorta like a wacom drawing pad. It is
also my chess clock... On and on.. What I do not have on it is games,
even those are available. My iPad has a nine and half inch screen, a
perfect size for caring around. It cost me $780 US and another $150 for
apps. I also have a service called MobilMe that provides me with an
extra 20 gigs of online cloud space for data and keeps my calendar and
contacts is sync. $99/year.

The negatives, printing is almost none existent. I have an app that
claims to print but I could not get it to print directly. I can print
using my main computer as a print server. But if I want that I will
print using my computer. Also I have not done any printing since I got
this toy. No need to print anymore. If I need to print I will use the
main computer.

As for books. I cannot cut and paste or print sections of eBooks.
Sunlight can washout the screen. But I never found a use to use this
outside, except at night I can use an app called "star walk" that can
track stars and planets. I believe the Kindle can be used outside, the
kindle is an eBook reader only. Kindle is a lot cheaper thou. With
eBooks I can change the font size for easier reading, highlight
passages, search for keywords and bookmark to show where you left off.
It is easier on the eyes reading off real paper. I use to use a sheet of
paper to read books as a guide. I cannot do this with a touch screen. If
I touch the screen it will change pages, enlarge, shrink or bookmark
something.

I have had the kindle app on it. I removed it. One thing about Amazon
eBook is is that it has one touch and you just purchased a book! No
money back. Apple iBook store requires a password for purchases.

The biggest drawback of this new toy is... PRIVACY! Almost all the apps
require an Internet access to run. Everything you search for, your
location, what you enter, your viewing habits will be recorded
somewhere. For most of the apps I use my dogs name as an email address.
Not my real name. I have about five email addresses with different
names. However, they can always track the IP addresses to find out
exactly who and where your are.

The iPad requires a computer to back up and get it running. I have over
one thousand books in my paper library. Many are in boxes in the
basement and a pain to look for them, the ones I use often are in one
room and running out of space in my home. Also all classic books are
FREE with eBooks, Shakespeare... free, Mark Twain free, Edgar Allen Poe
free, the Bible all versions free. Winnie the pooh... Free.


I am curious about your thoughts, as I begin my own journey through
this
barren landscape.

The landscape is not barren! I am like a kid in a candy store of life.
So many things I want to do and learn. Are you truly beginning this
journey? I began my journey from birth. Since my retirement of two
months ago, I feel truly free. One item that is side tracking me is my
heritage. I am the only one in the family that has technical knowledge
to do certain things. Years ago I converted some old family photos to a
DVD movie. Since then my Mom 84 years old and not getting younger, has
always wanted me to create a family tree video. My mom is the only one
left that knows who's who in the old photos I have from the 1800's So I
have been on Ansestry.com looking up the family tree and I will create
an interactive DVD for the family. I hand them out for Christmas cards.
The first time I did something like this my nephews and nieces never
knew what their great great great grand parents looked like... They were
amazed by it. Family tree starts in 1785 Berlin, Prussia that came to
the US around 1805.

It's not barren, just changing, make the best of it.
Wow I actually typed all this

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

"Dan L" wrote in message
...
Billy wrote:
(snip)
It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any damage
we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to
come.

If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS (as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:
"Dan L" wrote in message
...
Billy wrote:
(snip)
It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any damage
we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to
come.

If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see
PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS
(as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?

I sometimes forget that this is a global forum. PBS, Public Broadcast
Service, is an American non profit television network that is funded by
the US government and donations. In many ways they have better
programming than for profit television. PBS is not concerned about
profits and will often "tell it like it is". They tend to favor the
scientific communities when it comes to the environment and evolution.
For profit broadcasting will lean against global warming or evolution
views because of commercial funds from polluting companies and religious
programming.
http://www.pbs.org/

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article ,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Dan L" wrote in message
...
Billy wrote:
(snip)
It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any damage
we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to
come.

If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS (as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?

It's our access to BBC programming, and to a lesser extent, Deutsche
Welle. It keeps us from looking too provincial, although, recently they
have been seeking funding from private companies. One of these
companies, Archer Daniels Midland, is heavily involved in making the
products that go into junk food (HFCS). Thus, local funding places
financial constraints on what PBS dares to say.

One of their reporters was just fired, Juan Williams, after Williams
said he is nervous flying aboard airplanes with Muslim passengers.
Williams made the comments on Fox News¹s The O¹Reilly Factor. Fox News
is our national television station owned by Ruppert Murdoch. You may
have heard of him.

It¹s been less than a day since Juan Williams was fired by NPR, yet he¹s
already signed a new three-year, multi-million-dollar contract with Fox
News, one that greatly expands his role there.

So we can watch Fox News, and know less than someone who doesn't watch
TV at all, or we can watch PBS, and (at least for the moment) appear
less provincial.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

Billy wrote:
In article ,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Dan L" wrote in message
...
Billy wrote:
(snip)
It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any
damage
we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to
come.

If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see
PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS
(as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?


It's our access to BBC programming, and to a lesser extent, Deutsche
Welle. It keeps us from looking too provincial, although, recently
they
have been seeking funding from private companies. One of these
companies, Archer Daniels Midland, is heavily involved in making the
products that go into junk food (HFCS). Thus, local funding places
financial constraints on what PBS dares to say.

One of their reporters was just fired, Juan Williams, after Williams
said he is nervous flying aboard airplanes with Muslim passengers.
Williams made the comments on Fox News¹s The O¹Reilly Factor. Fox News

is our national television station owned by Ruppert Murdoch. You may
have heard of him.

It¹s been less than a day since Juan Williams was fired by NPR, yet
he¹s
already signed a new three-year, multi-million-dollar contract with
Fox
News, one that greatly expands his role there.

So we can watch Fox News, and know less than someone who doesn't watch

TV at all, or we can watch PBS, and (at least for the moment) appear
less provincial.

I get most of my national and global news from the internet's RRS
feeds. Every morning with a cup of coffee, I scan the headlines and read
any topic of interest from the comfort of my easy chair with the local
news tv station is on. I use the "Pulse News" and the "Early Edition"
RRS news reader apps. I select a balance of feeds for different views.
Otherwise PBS is my other choice.

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article ,
Dan L wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article ,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Dan L" wrote in message
...
Billy wrote:
(snip)
It appears that no matter how well we correct our hubris, any
damage
we
have inflicted on the ecosystem will be with us for a long time to
come.

If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see
PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS
(as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?


It's our access to BBC programming, and to a lesser extent, Deutsche
Welle. It keeps us from looking too provincial, although, recently
they
have been seeking funding from private companies. One of these
companies, Archer Daniels Midland, is heavily involved in making the
products that go into junk food (HFCS). Thus, local funding places
financial constraints on what PBS dares to say.

One of their reporters was just fired, Juan Williams, after Williams
said he is nervous flying aboard airplanes with Muslim passengers.
Williams made the comments on Fox News¹s The O¹Reilly Factor. Fox News

is our national television station owned by Ruppert Murdoch. You may
have heard of him.

It¹s been less than a day since Juan Williams was fired by NPR, yet
he¹s
already signed a new three-year, multi-million-dollar contract with
Fox
News, one that greatly expands his role there.

So we can watch Fox News, and know less than someone who doesn't watch

TV at all, or we can watch PBS, and (at least for the moment) appear
less provincial.

I get most of my national and global news from the internet's RRS
feeds. Every morning with a cup of coffee, I scan the headlines and read
any topic of interest from the comfort of my easy chair with the local
news tv station is on. I use the "Pulse News" and the "Early Edition"
RRS news reader apps. I select a balance of feeds for different views.
Otherwise PBS is my other choice.

I'd suggest, KPFA (Pacifica), a listener supported radio station out of Bezerkley, CA ), where the content is for the listener, and not the
underwriters.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

"Billy" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:
"Dan L" wrote in message
If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS (as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?

It's our access to BBC programming, and to a lesser extent, Deutsche
Welle. It keeps us from looking too provincial, although, recently they
have been seeking funding from private companies. One of these
companies, Archer Daniels Midland, is heavily involved in making the
products that go into junk food (HFCS). Thus, local funding places
financial constraints on what PBS dares to say.

One of their reporters was just fired, Juan Williams, after Williams
said he is nervous flying aboard airplanes with Muslim passengers.
Williams made the comments on Fox News¹s The O¹Reilly Factor. Fox News
is our national television station owned by Ruppert Murdoch. You may
have heard of him.

Yes. Australians tend to boast about the fact that he's no longer an
Australian and finds the US a better place to live. However, his mother is
an obsolute poppet and a great gardener who has nurtured her garden at
Cruden Farm for 80 years. See:
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s998251.htm

We've also heard about O'Reilly. I can see why Rupert went to the US.

..
It¹s been less than a day since Juan Williams was fired by NPR, yet he¹s
already signed a new three-year, multi-million-dollar contract with Fox
News, one that greatly expands his role there.

So we can watch Fox News, and know less than someone who doesn't watch
TV at all, or we can watch PBS, and (at least for the moment) appear
less provincial.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

Yes. Australians tend to boast about the fact that he's no longer an
Australian and finds the US a better place to live. However, his
mother is
an obsolute poppet and a great gardener who has nurtured her garden at

Cruden Farm for 80 years. See:
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s998251.htm

We've also heard about O'Reilly. I can see why Rupert went to the US.

.
It¹s been less than a day since Juan Williams was fired by NPR, yet
he¹s
already signed a new three-year, multi-million-dollar contract with
Fox
News, one that greatly expands his role there.

So we can watch Fox News, and know less than someone who doesn't
watch
TV at all, or we can watch PBS, and (at least for the moment) appear
less provincial.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

I wish Rupert would stay in Australia.
I hope that Comcast network cancels all of Rupert Cable networks shows.

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

Billy wrote:

I'd suggest, KPFA (Pacifica), a listener supported radio station out
of Bezerkley, CA ), where the content is for the listener, and not
the
underwriters.

Oh God Noooo!,,,,, Gospel singing on a Saturday morning is just not my
style.

How about my style...
http://www.peterwerbe.com/
Ultra, ULTRA left wing talk radio on WRIF Detroit, Sunday night 11pm
-1am EST

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

Dan L wrote:
"FarmI" wrote:
"Dan L" wrote:


If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see
PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS
(as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?

I sometimes forget that this is a global forum. PBS, Public Broadcast
Service, is an American non profit television network that is funded by
the US government and donations. In many ways they have better
programming than for profit television. PBS is not concerned about
profits and will often "tell it like it is". They tend to favor the
scientific communities when it comes to the environment and evolution.
For profit broadcasting will lean against global warming or evolution
views because of commercial funds from polluting companies and religious
programming.
http://www.pbs.org/

and a very nice thing for those with longer attention
spans who despise being interrupted when a program
gets interesting is that they do all the sponsor messages
at the beginning and end of a program. i can't watch
regular commercial tv or listen to commercial radio
stations because i turn them off when commercials come
on (too loud, too obnoxious, too ignorant, etc).


songbird

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Dan L wrote:
"FarmI" wrote:
"Dan L" wrote:


If you watch PBS a lot much of this information is already known

What is the significance of PBS? I'm not in the US but do get to see
PBS
news (sometimes). I know what PBS stands for but why is watching PBS
(as
opposed to any other US network) of relevance to knowing these facts?

I sometimes forget that this is a global forum. PBS, Public Broadcast
Service, is an American non profit television network that is funded by
the US government and donations. In many ways they have better
programming than for profit television. PBS is not concerned about
profits and will often "tell it like it is". They tend to favor the
scientific communities when it comes to the environment and evolution.
For profit broadcasting will lean against global warming or evolution
views because of commercial funds from polluting companies and religious
programming.
http://www.pbs.org/

and a very nice thing for those with longer attention
spans who despise being interrupted when a program
gets interesting is that they do all the sponsor messages
at the beginning and end of a program. i can't watch
regular commercial tv or listen to commercial radio
stations because i turn them off when commercials come
on (too loud, too obnoxious, too ignorant, etc).


songbird

Once read that the less the content the more technical events are
needed. Think of technical events as walking in the woods when you
hear or see a branch snap. I used to count technical events and point
them out to my family but the technical events won out.
I used to read books about the elimination of TV or Amusing our
selves to death then there is Marshall Mcluhan.
So PBS has 15 technical events minute and Fox news has 30 and a regular
commercial has 60. Simple as that. Gardening btw has about 3 technical
events unless the birds are about.

Count for your self it won't matter. MEDIA rules.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
http://www.informationisbeautiful.ne...l-supplements/

On Sat, 23 Oct 2010 11:33:52 -0400, songbird wrote:
and a very nice thing for those with longer attention
spans who despise being interrupted when a program
gets interesting is that they do all the sponsor messages
at the beginning and end of a program. i can't watch
regular commercial tv or listen to commercial radio
stations because i turn them off when commercials come
on (too loud, too obnoxious, too ignorant, etc).

I run mythtv which does a very good job of autoskipping commercials.

Everything I watch is timeshifted. If a show I like is played at any time
on any channel, It'll get recorded. Sometimes a show will go off the
air but return a year later and it'll start recording it again.

In article ,
Dan L wrote:

Billy wrote:

I'd suggest, KPFA (Pacifica), a listener supported radio station out
of Bezerkley, CA ), where the content is for the listener, and not
the
underwriters.

Oh God Noooo!,,,,, Gospel singing on a Saturday morning is just not my
style.

How about my style...
http://www.peterwerbe.com/
Ultra, ULTRA left wing talk radio on WRIF Detroit, Sunday night 11pm
-1am EST

Thing is, it isn't about your style, or my style (which is usually in
bed by 10 PM). The station is for all people with their divergent tastes
that want to know what's happening in their community. One thing you
won't find, however, is a commercial for Depends, or male erectile
dysfunction, or some other glitzy ad that never mentions what the
product does. The result, is some programs that you won't like, and some
you will love. As far as gospel, there's nuthin' wrong with a little
gospel music. It's over by 9 AM. I often get a lick of gospel with
"Prairie Home Companion" as well. Like the lady said," You just got to
get your hip into it". It would be a great day in the morning, if Jesus
could wash some of our sins away. We seem to be up to the tops of our
dairy boots in it. Oh, "Happy Day". In any event, it doesn't
inconvenience me, as I won't have finished my paper and coffee, and
staring out the windows until 9 AM anyway.

I tried Air America, but was put off by their attempt to be left wing
reflection of right wing "squawk" radio.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Dan L wrote:

Billy wrote:

I'd suggest, KPFA (Pacifica), a listener supported radio station
out
of Bezerkley, CA ), where the content is for the listener, and
not
the
underwriters.

Oh God Noooo!,,,,, Gospel singing on a Saturday morning is just not
my
style.

How about my style...
http://www.peterwerbe.com/
Ultra, ULTRA left wing talk radio on WRIF Detroit, Sunday night 11pm
-1am EST

Thing is, it isn't about your style, or my style (which is usually in
bed by 10 PM). The station is for all people with their divergent
tastes
that want to know what's happening in their community. One thing you
won't find, however, is a commercial for Depends, or male erectile
dysfunction, or some other glitzy ad that never mentions what the
product does. The result, is some programs that you won't like, and
some
you will love. As far as gospel, there's nuthin' wrong with a little
gospel music. It's over by 9 AM. I often get a lick of gospel with
"Prairie Home Companion" as well. Like the lady said," You just got to

get your hip into it". It would be a great day in the morning, if
Jesus
could wash some of our sins away. We seem to be up to the tops of our
dairy boots in it. Oh, "Happy Day". In any event, it doesn't
inconvenience me, as I won't have finished my paper and coffee, and
staring out the windows until 9 AM anyway.

I start my day letting out and feeding the animals, one dog, one cow,
five chickens, about thirty minutes. Then breakfast for my self and
about 9am i start to read the news on my iPad, TV noise in the
background with a cup of coffee.

I do not listen to that station much. I listened to it once in a while
for a different point of view coming home from work in my pickup truck.
At home I have Internet radio that has over 24,000 live radio stations
from the world. I tend to pick some technology stations and sometimes
talk shows on gardening. There are Australian stations that I can pickup
as well, they use word "mate" allot in their commercials. How about
amateur radio, I am N8... if I posted that then every one would know
exactly who and where I am

I lean toward alternative music for personal listening. I listen to
classical music for music for family slide shows. I have a variety of
music for dancing: Madonna for hustle, Sinatra for fox trot, Julio
Iglesias for tango, Englebert Humperdinck for waltz, My two step is
awful, another reason not to like country

Again, I am a kid in a candy store of life.
--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)