Further Alberta
I nurse the thought I have been played. Played like a cheap theramin. A couple of months ago I wrote a post which revolved around seeing an article in the Washington Post on Canada's oil sand fields a couple days after having an apparently chance conversation about the same thing. Of course the conversation was with a guy who, in addition to being my niece's soccer coach, is also the Toronto Globe and Mail's Washington bureau chief. Still I chalked it up to coincidence - because, well because I'm simple. Then the annual Smithsonian Folklife festival roared into town
2006 Smithsonian Folklife Festival and I saw the big truck. Just like the big trucks they use in the Canadian oil sand fields up in Alberta. One of the featured regions in this years festival. I've lived in and around this town for many many years, since the Navy brought me here, and I still can't spot things emerging out of the ephemerous fog of the 'Washington agenda" until I read it off their stern after they've sailed by.  The big truck it turns out was not from Alberta but simply one of the same make and model from the Caterpillar factory, stopping off to play a part in the Smithsonian's big show before continuing on to a strip mine in West Virginia. A man (a docent) explained this, adding that when one of these trucks goes into the mines environmental regulations would prohibit it from making any field trips back outside. Also once they start them apparently they never turn them off. The Folklife festival always delivers, because so much is going on there is always something that will appeal to you. Plus most of the year that grass strip between the Washington Monument and the Capital just sits there empty. What I liked this year: Native American Bark Baskets from Alaska, not woven but folded. Then, in addition to the Fort McMurray people, the U. of Alberta had a display on their solar powered led lights for the third world project
Light up the World Foundation- increasing productivity and education.
My older sister's family (nephew and niece) are off to Sweden for two weeks. I mention this because they are visiting my nephew's best friend, Philip, (the same one who was in town visiting the last time this subject came around. What does one do in Sweden? I suppose I don't really know much about Sweden. I imagine it to be a place filled with blond people, Volvos, Saabs, and self assembled furniture. With wild strawberries growing disturbingly along the roadsides, and Jens Lenkman around every corner. In my email this morning, from Sweden (a coincidence I suppose...), was an change of address notice for a
Forumsyd.org: Organisationer i samverkan for global rattvisa. I've never heard of them, but they have my email address. Forum Syd aims to "strengthen civil society via development cooperation." Atomized Jr. endorses global rattvisa.
11:44:35 PM  ;;
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