spinning-out

I am in my first year of guitar and am learning online, the basics through guitar tricks dot com. I know the basic chords, and am starting to learn the shapes for bar chords, bought a DVD course for the CAGED system which I think may be helpful, and continue to try to expand my comprehension of music theory. I have ignorantly invested thousands of dollars in three acoustic guitars, three electric guitars, and three amplifiers. My resolve is to be able to play them. I can play simple strumming renditions of some songs, albeit the rhythm is highly suspect as I have difficulty playing along.

Sorry for the dissertation. I want to get into finger picking, as I enjoy and would love to play "new age" style of music. There are so many styles of finger picking. I don't want to get into bad habits, and I have found that slight changes make huge differences in my ability to play. I have a book from Mel Bay with a particular style of finger picking, and Guitar Tricks has a simple style of Travis picking for beginners, using P i m. I guess my query would be to teachers is how should a student approach the different techniques? Try to learn simultaneously, or one style for a period of time and then build on another. Is any technique preferable or usable for any and all applications?

Thanks for your patience and advice.

I live near Seattle WA. I am trying to make sourdough bread from starter. I've tried a couple of differing recipes with the same result. The dough has risen quite slow- over 24 hrs, and ultimately not enough. Although the bread is tastey, its a little dense. I'm using whole wheat flower, does that rise with more effort? I will admit that I cheated and used a quick rise yeast to begin my starter. I am going to set out a batch of starter to capture the native wild yeast. Will that be a heartier yeast? I really want to have some success in learning this bread baking process. Any tips, recipes, or techniques would be appreciated.

I was going to buy a refrigerator from a company, but after dealing with them over three days on another matter and finding their business practices highly questionable, I asked them to refund my purchase on my credit card. This was several days prior to the scheduled delivery of a refrigerator that I had not even seen to approve. They had shown me a likely model that would possibly become available and said that in order to hold a model I could make the purchase and I would be able to verify that it was adequate when it came in. They have refused to return the money to my card and state that I signed a contract that my purchase was not refundable. I say that there was never a purchase and they could not sell something that they did not have.

What would I file in court to sue them for the money that they have confiscated from my credit card?

This is a practical problem that probably has a simple formula. I will try to explain it as well as I can.

Along a patio edge there are three different arcs. I can place a string line across each arc and measure that distance. (I have to guesstimate where one arc ends and the other begins) Additionally, I can measure from a half-way point of the string line to the highest point of the arc.(assuming 90 degrees to the string line.) How do I solve for the radius? Can I do it without a calculator? If the formula is too complex, I do have a calculator. I have just found that I retain solutions better if I don't require the use of a calculator.

My spouses daughter has 3 cats. One of the first original two has consistently gone outside of the box. She added a third. Still maintains only one box for all three cats. With three cats, in my opinion, I think that she would need at least two litter boxes. And I would further recommend both to be the clumping self cleaning litter boxes. Some cats are pretty fussy where they do their duty, and will not place their feet in another's already marked territory. That is why I believe that clumping self cleaning is necessary for this particular feline.

With that said... Here is the scenario. My spouses daughter wants to move into her home, but my spouse has 2 cats already. She is unwilling to allow a cat with problems to move into her very nice, and carpeted home. I live in a home with hardwood flooring, and ceramic tiles throughout. I live with my 6 year old english setter, who has already allowed a pregnant feral cat come into our home through her doggy door, to eat from her food dish and ultimately to be rid of fleas, given cat food and a place to birth 5 kittens who were given to ultimately good homes that were screened thouroughly by me... an unwilling but still proud, surrogate father, and a dog as a surrogate and substitute mother after the mother bailed ship after only 8 weeks.

O.K. if you are still with me, I applaud you.

My spouses daughter, given the circumstances wants to euthanize the less than 2 year old cat. With my tiled pantry, I believe that I could keep the cat isolated while I'm away and allow integration when I am here for at least a 2 week period. I would have a litter box for her alone in my pantry. I have a dog door for my pooch so after about a month of introduction to the household, the cat would have access to freedom and outdoors. There is lots of room outside and very slight traffic. My spouses daughter believes that it would be better to euthanize the cat rather than subject it to any alternatives. I strongly dissagree. I will appreciate all input and opinions. I think that the cat will have an opportunity to integrate into my household, and then possibly integrate into a larger household later, or it is possible that it may get out into the street and get run over. But if it integrates, it has a chance for life. The alternative is ultimately death, no matter how humane.

What are your thoughts or ideas?

I agree there is a concern. Although I am skeptical if people could or would as a worldwide society, or even just in America, make the needed adjustments in our lifestyle to affect any change, because we are the mainstay of the consumer market. Not just if we could agree that action was necessary, who is willing to change, and what change would be enough?

I flipped the channel to some documentary of a house with paranormal activity. I have no idea whether such phenomenon exists since I have never experienced anything paranormal. I've seen other similar shows though and after realizing there is some unnatural presence there, they continue to stay. If it were me, when the spirit or whatever told me to get out, I'd leave. No questions asked. What would "possess" anyone to stay with an obviously evil presence?

There is a lot of controversy, publicly and in the media about global warming. Although this is certainly a concern, Isn't there a lot of other issues environmentally that we can impact through our consumption and awareness? And how can we address them?

Key Issues in my mind are;

I. Industrialization in 3rd world and poor communities

a. Effects on resources

b. Environmental effects

II. Ocean Environment and exploitation

a. Chemical and Toxic waste

b. Plastics and waste debris

c. Over-fishing and endangered species

III. Public, Agricultural and Industrial waste and bi-products

a. landfills and methane

b. Rivers and tributaries

c. Toxic waste storage and clean-up

IV Carbon Fuels

a. Depletion

b. Alternatives

These are not new issues, and many are more immediately dire in nature to GW. Yet the debate over GW seem to take more precedence. And many issues go hand in hand with GW.

Comments?

Rush Limbaugh, what a big, fat, idiot !!! Is it not apparent the positioning and alignment of power here in the US? Are so many people so illusioned that they don't understand the BIG PICTURE?

AIG, the tumbling stock market... YES, we are being manipulated into panic by forces that individually are much stronger than the individual.

Our government has forced us to carry insurance to cover everything. Now, we have to bail out a company that we can never hope to recoup not only any losses we may incur, but the premiums, and the addition to our national deficit. Who benefits? Well, certainly the CEO's and execs who demand milllion dollar salaries, who consequently have the capital to also manipulate the markets and thier investments. Wall Streeter's who also make millions from the investment of those wishing to make a higher return than that of a CD. The crash of the stock market in '29 revealed the greed of those that essentially embezzled the moneys of innocents, only wishing to invest and capitalize on a growing US economy. It was misappropriation and the self-serving use of investor funding of trust, that led to the regulation of the stock market. Note the trend after the deregulation, encouraged by Regan and even further promoted by Clinton. It certainly did create a temporary boom, but then the bust. Only to be felt by those who had so little control of it's demise. Those controling it's demise have profitted exponentially and will invest again, to see multiplicable gains. Yes, the stock market needs to be regulated. CEO's of corporations cannot demand such salaries unless investors are awarded first. And it is certain that all accounting principle are reasonably applied. I am not against a hard working,brilliant mind making a buck, just not off of the hard earned money of investors who have entrusted their money to both personal and economic growth.

Where can you find the details of this controversial package. There are so many people on here that are posturing on one side or the other, and I really don't think there are many who even have a clue what is in the bill. How can people have such strong opinions when essentially, they don't have the knowledge to back up their opinions. Prior to drawing my own conclusions, I would like to know where I can find the details on this and many other issues of our legislation.

Where can you find the details of this controversial package. There are so many people on here that are posturing on one side or the other, and I really don't think there are many who even have a clue what is in the bill. How can people have such strong opinions when essentially, they don't have the knowledge to back up their opinions. Prior to drawing my own conclusions, I would like to know where I can find the details on this and many other issues of our legislation.

At least in the most fundemental way of attempting to actually be in contact with what I will call the source. Aren't contradictions explainable by interpretations by those wishing to lead the masses to the source? Why do people have to be so literal in interpreting some passages, and not others. Doesn't that illude to the idea that the true answers don't come from text, but directly from the source?

There are many similarities in many of the world religions, and differences can be interpretational. Why is it not possible that in some aspects they are all right? There are many documented cases of "miracles" with little scientific explanation. What is it that we are overlooking? We can look into the universe and see order... and chaos. Some of the greatest scientific minds cannot deny the possibility of a higher power, although they could certainly debunk many religions. As we struggle with greater intelligence after partaking of the apple of knowledge, we are finding more mysteries than answers. While I stumble and trip over three of the the four dimensions that I can fathom, guys with calculators and complex mathematical theories flying into their heads, manage to formulate quantum physics. Explain anything? Not to me.

I am extremely fascinated by a guy that was born in the 1877 and died in 1945. His name was Edgar Cayce. The medical field was not very advanced at the time, and doctors probably killed as many as they helped. But Edgar who had like an eighth grade education, could take an object belonging to a person and make a detailed diagnosis of their ailment. He has reportedly made accurate future predictions, but said that he had no special powers. That we could all do what he did, if we would connect to the source. Might this be the same "source" that many of past and present great minds and gurus' speak of? Deepak Choprah, and Wayne Dyer have both spoke of this unending source. And rarely do they try to concentrate on one text, or scripture, because there is something to be learned from all of them. But first you have to be in contact with your source. I think that it might be possible to get in contact with your source through many of the different religions, but I don't think that it is the only way. Regardless, I don't think it is right to attempt to disconnect someone from their source, if they have ,indeed, truly found their source and are not just faking it to fit into something that they want to believe in. It seems many of the fanatical religious zealots are walking a pretty thin line of sanity anyway. Even if some of the interpreters of their religion lead them into a greater level of ignorance, I will hope that their connection will eventually lead them to a better Revelation than one they are expecting. And who knows? With quantum physics maybe in some alter dimension the earth really is 6000 years old.

My question seems to point to a hypocracy of those that preach to others about living a lifestyle that they do not uphold within their own lives. Some of the most inconsiderate and even law-breaking drivers on the roadway, have had a "Jesus on Board" sticker on their bumper. The resonant voice among those chanting, "not perfect, but saved". Including, the difficulty I have believing that a "father" would ever make any deals with a devil, regarding his "children". How could a just and devine "father" ever condemn his "child" to an eternity of hellfire and brimstone for ignorance. These I believe to be the interpretations of an ancient religious dominance in an attempt to control the minds of the masses not in the glorification of God, but for themselves. There is much truth in many of the scriptures of religion, but I think that those truly in touch with the source, could also see the likelyhood for misinterpretation of Gods intent. Is there a heaven, or is there a hell, or is there just a continuation of the journey into the universe and beyond. Most of us will not know in our lifetime. Many don't wish to take the chance, and blindly place faith in someone to guide them. Some may have slight connections, and some may actually be very connected to the source. But many deny an existance, and for those the universe may seem quite lonely and finite. For those of us still inquiring, we can only hope that our questions will be answered, and our source will avail itself.

I recently went out on a date with an extremely attractive and honestly nice woman that I met on a dating site. She's down-to-earth and a very genuine lady. We enjoy many of the same hobbies and activities, but she has experienced them to a scope well beyond me. I live in a mid-town home, she on the hill in a well heeled neighborhood. I drive a Ford Focus; she a BMW convertible. Is this East_West interlude doomed?