Disneyfication

I have been attempting to complete this commentary since events provoked it in early November. Without a lot of effective result, to be honest. I have decided to publish it as it currently stands. Partially since I see Disneyfication as only one aspect of a set of interlocked cultural elements that I consider major problems today.

Dis·ney·fi·ca·tion

 (dĭz′nē-fĭ-kā′shən)
n.
: 1. The establishment or alteration of business activity to conform with the goals or image of a corporation, especially in the elimination of controversial, sensitive, or potentially offensive activities or material.
2. The presentation of historical or cultural material in an expurgated or distorted fashion in an effort to appeal to a large number of tourists or consumers.

    the Free On-line Dictionary
    https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Disneyfication

: the transformation (as of something real or unsettling) into carefully controlled and safe entertainment or an environment with similar qualities
First known use of Disneyfication - 1959

    Merriam-Webster
    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Disneyfication
: The alternate term ‘Disneyization’ has the same meaning.
As applied specifically to juvenile entertainment or theme parks, the term appears have been first used in the late 1950’s (specifically related to the Walt Disney company’s operations).  A wider application of the term started being applied by social scientists and cultural critics during the 1990’s :

    The terms are generally used in a negative way, and they imply homogenization of consumption, merchandising, and emotional labor. They can be used more broadly to describe the processes of stripping a real place or event of its original character and repackaging it in a sanitized format. References to anything negative are removed, and the facts are watered down with the intent of making the subject more pleasant and easily grasped.

    Wikapedia

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyfication


In the Wikapedia overview above, ‘emotional labour’ is specifically mentioned. This refers to a specific expectation / requirement of the behaviour of those undertaking ‘content delivery’.  ‘Providers’ are to be expansively enthusiastic of the content and objectives. They are to constantly maintain a ‘happy’ aspect. They are to avoid, at all costs, any comment or behaviour that might possibly prove, in any way what so ever, to be ‘offensive’ to the many individual ‘consumers’.  (1)

‘Happy consumer’ is the ultimate goal under Disneyfication.

I first became aware of the term - and it’s application, at the 1999 Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) annual conference at Waterloo, Ontario. Within the greater community of Museums, especially Living History Museums, ‘Disneyfication’ was then, and remains today, a very derogatory label. 
As more and more business managers have replaced historians as museum directors, this process of diluting, pacifying (and often plain altering), historical fact, for ‘ease of public consumption’, has escalated. The massive growth of ‘edu-tainment’ in popular media is a dominant example of this.


So, I was bit shocked, certainly dismayed (and frankly, a bit offended), when the administrator of a college level course I was a sessional instructor at, used the term in discussion with me last August. Stated as a desirable method and chosen objective of the program I was involved in.
It is massively clear that between myself and this college’s administration that :  “our philosophical approaches to a (name omitted) program are not aligned.”

As important to me personally that the passing of hard won knowledge and experience to a new generation may be, I consider a ’Disneyfication’ approach to be totally incorrect. 
I do not consider students to be ‘consumers’ of a ‘product’.
Education should not be reduced to mere ‘customer satisfaction’.
‘Bums in the seats’ is not the measure of a successful educational program.

I am making a clear distinction here between ‘general interest' * and ‘technical’ programs.
A technical program is being defined here as one with fixed physical objectives, defined skills to be acquired, with certificate or diploma only awarded on full and successful completion. 

• Effective completion of assigned tasks and the demonstration of the acquisition of specific skills is the requirement. 
• An artificial environment of ‘all can do, all will succeed’ does not represent reality - and should not be created (2). 
• The assumption of ‘I paid my fee = I get my certificate’ must be enforced as false. 
• Making a student ‘happy’ is not a requirement of awarding a passing grade.

Otherwise the value of that certificate becomes virtually meaningless to those outside that specific college environment.
* In a ‘general interest’ program, there may be more latitude to consider ‘desire’ on the part of students.


So, Grasshopper…
Examine closely the approaches to teaching a physical skill being described by an Institution and individual instructors.
My (wise?) advice is to avoid those who merely are ‘giving you what you want’.

Beware those who promise easy success.

There are no short cuts to acquiring skill.

1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_labor

2)’All people have value’ is something I truly believe.
 ‘All people are equal’ is a lie however - and NOT the same thing.
I personally can not run a mile, my vision is poor, have huge problems with correct spelling. The accurate truth is not all people can do everything, or at identical ability.
(If you are blind - you can not undertake hand forge work. Period.)

RED means STOP

I don't care what the **** your 'religion' is.

Typical consideration of the legal STOP sign.

The Mennonite Meeting Hall is located about a kilometer north from Wareham, east side of County Road 41.

Every Sunday, the Meeting Hall lets out its Sunday services about 12:00 to 12:15.
And roughly 40 to 50 individual wagons head south into Wareham.
These are primarily of two types:
- Open topped small buggies pulled by a single horse, typically with two people.
- Enclosed large wagons pulled by a two horse team, typically with large family groups.

Every Sunday, the vast majority of these operators, stacked tight in a line, completely refuse to stop at the stop sign on the corner of Centre Line.
Usually at high speed (not even slowing to check for oncoming traffic).
Often the entire line of wagons in an unbroken chain.

Today I watched someone in a small single horse unit approach the stop sign.
Without visibly slowing down.
They were already past the stop sign when they finally checked to see if there was anything coming from the West (down Centre Line).
There was a pickup truck approaching the intersection from the West. Fortunately, traveling below the posted speed. It would have been roughly even with my driveway when the wagon operator checked that direction. (So about 100 feet)
They did manage to stop the horse. Not before loosing control of the animal, resulting in the wagon being positioned sideways across the intersection, the horse rearing to rear feet.
They eventually had to have the passenger jump out to grab the horse, completing a 270 degree circle inside the the intersection. They never did get control of the animal, the passenger having to jump back on to the wagon as it rocketed out of the intersection to the east.

RED MEANS STOP

If you intend to travel on the public roads in Ontario, you are legally required to OBEY the traffic laws controlling the operation of 'a vehicle' on those roads.
Fundamental to this is the following of all posted signs. The red octagon with the large * order * to STOP is key. It is not a recommendation. It is not 'do at your whim'. It is not 'based on some religion'. It is a rigid COMMAND.

 

Obey the laws or get off the public roads.

1) A horse drawn wagon is defined legally as 'a vehicle' under the Ontario Traffic / Highway Safety Act. It is subject to all the same legal restrictions as any other 'vehicle'.

2) If I personally do not follow the command to stop, even if I am on a bicycle, I will be subjected to a fine and subjected to a penalty against of driver's licence.

3) If a motor vehicle is approaching this intersection from the East, towards Wareham intersection, and at the legal speed limit, it will have no more that FOUR SECONDS to observe if the intersection is clear. This is the same amount of time someone *legally* stopped will be able to determine if there is vehicle is approaching. (Note that east / west traffic has legal right of way).

View west to the stop sign / 4 seconds out at 80 kph.

View from the legal stop line towards the east - reverse of view above.

 4) - My property is the same corner as the stop sign. It lays to the SE corner of my lot.
- I normally part at least one small trailer along the edge of Centre Line, in front of my house / shop.
- There is often extra visitor vehicles parked also along the extended edge of Centre Line (frequent weekend courses here).

One second from the intersection (at 80 kph). You can see my truck parked, behind it my small travel trailer. Note also the pickup truck *legally* stopped for the sign.

 5) Combine all this, and there is a better than 50 / 50 chance that when the expected major traffic accident happens from wagons NOT STOPPING LEGALLY, the inertia of the motor vehicle will at least roll it down the 8 foot bank into my yard - or impact my own (legally) parked vehicles.

Mennonites don't carry any insurance.
Wagons do not require licence plates, so there is no way to identify individual vehicles breaking the law.
Mennonites purposefully all dress alike. Most are wearing obscuring sun glasses. There is thus almost no way to identify individuals.


This potential accident is made more likely by an increasing number of young men driving hopped up 4 wheel drive, pickup, 'dirt trucks'.
Especially on the weekends.
Typically speeding, and otherwise ALSO not paying full consideration to the traffic laws.
Observed repeatedly attempting to make 'slew turns' and 'fishtailing' - intentionally.


Someone will eventually be killed at the intersection. Guess who is most likely going to have to clean up the mess?

The Room Empties

" Year after year
more old men disappear.
Soon no one
will march there
at all..."

2015.
No one is left from the First World War.
The end of the 2nd War is now 70 years past.
Given that about the youngest anyone could have lied their way into serving in that conflict was 16, that puts the 'youngest' likely veteran of WW2 at 86.
The Korean War ran 1950 - 1953.
Make the 'youngest' having enlisted in the Regular Forces at 17. That puts a veteran of this one at least 75.
Viet Nam spanned 1955 (depending on who you count) to 1975. Again use the 17 year old soldier. That makes the veteran of this mess at least 57.

For Canadians, add years of Peacekeeping - all over the place.
What seems an endless repetition in the Middle East, bleeding one into the other down to this morning (and certainly yet to come).

I personally never knew a family member who endured WW2.
I joined the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves in 1972.
The Regular Forces Adviser in the Regiment had served in Korea.
Viet Nam was still happening. Of the instructors on my Junior NCO course, two had somehow enlisted in the US Army, and served a tour in the jungle.
One of my closest friends had also jumped to the USA, and served *two* tours in the 101 Airborne there. 

I turned 60 this year.
For me, 'the War' is Viet Nam. As a young man, I came to meet many people who had been marked by that event.
Many friends to fled to Canada to avoid the draft.
A man who had been the second person to set foot into the village of My Mia.
Those that had fought there, willingly - or in terror.
Those who protested. Those who heaped abuse on me because I wore a uniform.
I have an opinion after all this,
but that is not the point today.

'The Band plays Waltzing Matilda.
And the (young) men answer the call.'
...
'Year after year,
more old friends disappear.
Soon no one
will march there
at all.'


********
'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda'
written by Eric Bogle in 1971
Although of the many, many versions of this song, this one is still the one I consider the best.

Message ? or the Medium ??

On 02/05/15 8:24 PM, Jason wrote:

Your site is amazing and something that has always interested me. I really wish you would put up better high resolution images that can be expanded to a much greater size. My vision is not what it used to be and I really like to look at the detail. Most of the images are just too small to really get an idea of the beauty of the creation, such as the Damascus steel.

Please understand that although I enjoy bladesmithing, I am not primarily a specialist blade maker. Any given year I might undertake 2 - 4 blade projects, usually only half as paid commissions, the others 'just cause I want to'. Don't be fooled by the large number of objects illustrated. You are looking (at this point) virtually a life time's worth of work. Obviously the most effort in communications has to go to the work that actually pays my bills.

A point to remember is that I personally think the distortions that comes from the effect of the hand hammer on a layered billet is important. Because of this, each individual object is quite distinctive. Although I appreciate the technical skills involved in creating uniform, regular, predictable patterns (Middle Eastern styles), as an artist, I chose deliberately not to do this.
My own work style is more based on the Northern European 'pattern welding' style (twisted multiple cores).

'Sword of Heroes' - 2000

Lack of high resolution (huge file) images?
A combination of reasons:

Largest being connection speeds. Only urban dwellers have access to high speed. I most certainly do not.
I have problems uploading larger images from my location (via an expensive direct satellite uplink dish).
On the download end - I also have problems viewing sites that insist on using giant files. (As this pisses me off personally, I intentionally have chosen not to restrict the viewing of my own web site in that fashion.)

Image processing. My best quality camera is an older (2008) 5 mega pixel. Any images before 2008 are on colour slides! Although I do have a full version of Photoshop (v. 7.0 - 2002) I am working primarily on a Mac G5 (1.8 speed ) using OS 10.4.6 (about 2003).

By far the biggest limit = Time. The Wareham Forge web site dates to the early to mid 1990's. It is huge. Guess who does all the coding, formatting, writing, image crunching? Attempting to keep up with the latest trends in internet use is a huge problem. Since its original inception, there is not almost constantly being new materials added, but the entire site has been re-designed at least three times. For the last several years, I have barely been able to keep up with just re-designing the site  for function and general appearance. Much less finding and re-formatting images from the original source copies.
The entire site itself is immense. It currently totals almost an entire gigabite of storage space. I really don't have an exact count of the contents, but there are about 200 + individual 'pages' - including over 2000 individual images.  Consider it 20 years worth of contributions.
At core the site is more a grand portfolio of work, more informational than sales oriented.

The internet is increasingly trend driven. The amount of raw labour required to keep up with this stuff is almost always not worth the time invested.
Although I do think I have certain skills in layout, writing, photography, and certainly do have the base knowledge of web site creation - it is * not * what I do.
I make stuff -
Documenting it and presenting it are two entirely different skill sets.





Too few people appreciate the vast amount of work that surrounds being an artisan - maker. I typically work 10 hours a day (plus), over a 6 1/2 day week. Of that a 'good shop day' is 2 1/2 - 3 hours worth...




PS : Readers here should also consider the work invovled in preparing, writing, formatting this blog. This post makes 845 individual segments. Each typically takes roughly one hour to prepare and install....

and now, for something completely different...

The blacksmith and popular music.

(this is one of those posts that started one place, then ended up someplace else)

We watch Glee here in Wareham.
We both really like it. It is one of the best pieces of television out there right now. The actors are all extremely talented, most the time the writers have half a brain. Other than a few too many (obscure to me) broadway show tunes, I think they have generally done a lot of amazing covers of popular music.

Vandy had sent me a link to the video of 2cellos doing their version of Jackson's 'Smooth Criminal'. Very, very cool. Those guys have amazing energy. Get it on to the iPod.

Two weeks later, who do we see on Glee? Wazzah - its the 2cellos guys, with a vocal over top in typical Glee style. If you missed that, this is what it sounds like :



So, I thought, what the heck, lets look for some MP3 versions I can download for the ipod..
Which brought me to this version, by relatively unknown Alien Ant Farm :



Boy have those guys got energy!
And if you are familiar with Michael Jackson's videos, the Alien Ant Farm *video* is amazing. So tongue in cheek! (And love him or hate him, there is no doubt if there ever was anyone who deserved to be parodied, it is Michael Jackson. Ask Weird Al...)

Ok, Lets take a listen to Mikie's original version :



As a piece of music on the ipod, I've got to admit I do lean to the raw energy of the Alien Ant Farm version. I feel I get a two-for-one on the Glee version, however, with 2Chellos in the back.


So what is the point here?
I've got all four versions on my ipod. Not exactly sure why, but on random mode, half the time if it plays even one of those four versions - it will play all four in sequence.

There I was in the shop yesterday, ipod jacked into the shop stereo, working away on the latest bloom to bar sequence. Task was taking a larger piece (starting at 1.5 kg ) and working it down into a thin plate. I've gone past the hydraulic press stage, past the air hammer stage, now working with the 1 kg crowning hammer to thin and spread the plate.

Now, those who have seen me work know that I have a distinctive style. I use a physical dynamic that allows me to use speed - rather than power. More strokes per minute, lighter hammer.

So - there I am, wacking away at this bloom plate.

2cellows or Glee + 2cellos = great to listen too, but way too fast for me to pound to (or too slow at one stroke per beat)

Alien Ant Farm = pretty close, but still just a hair fast for me, especially into the end of the second hour taking welding heats on a 1.5 kg mass.

Jackson?
Perfect.
Double up on the main beat structure (so every second hammer stroke falls on the percussion)
Go listen to that version again.

Ah, Michael, if you only knew...

Winter Work...

What the HECK has he been up to?

Three primary projects:

1) DARC to LAM 2012

At this point I've compiled the working budget. The contract is between Parks Canada and the Wareham Forge, who have approached us about mounting a living history program at L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC with tentative dates July 119 - 29. Needless to say, getting a contract team of eight (which may expand to as many as 14 +) 3000 km from our Central Ontario base is a major logistical effort. Waiting at this point to get a firm commitment on presentation dates - and budget approval.

2) Completing Vandy's Weaving Shed

This is a 'temporary' styled work building (frame on deck block supports) 8 x 16 base. It is intended to house the large four harness loom, with shelving for bulk weaving / textiles supplies. It is set to pull as much solar gain as possible via a pair of insulated sliding glass doors on the south face (scrounged from the dump!). In use it will plug in via an extension cord, and our old box stove will provide cold season heat.

3/4 view, to roughly NE (from the corner of the main building). The slanted steel roof is set to make best use of the winter sun angle.


3) Revamping the Wareham Forge Web site

(And maybe learning PHP?) Once again I am working towards what will be pretty much a complete graphic revision of the (huge!) Wareham Forge web site. Part of my problem is that the site was started in the mid 1990's, when everyone was on slow dial up - and sites were primarily text based.
The world has changed, speeding up and getting ever more compact. I've rarely *removed* anything from the site, which currently holds a total of some 225 MB worth of files (over 100 pages and over 1000 images!)

The prototype work so far:
This was my first design. This would be a standardized framework, with pull down menus to the left for the major topic areas. I personally *like* the use of dark backgrounds with lighter type as a bold graphic statement - however...

This is where I'm leaning on version two. (The existing content for the individual information pages goes into the white box - which will even out the layout.) It has been suggested by a number of observers that the use of lighter backgrounds generally looks 'more professional'. (??)

On design & colour - the theory used on the whole web site:
(This may be stupid, but here is why.) I decided at the inception (some 15 years back) that the whole web site should 'look like me'. The reason was, 'if you don't like how I present myself, you will likely not like me (either) and maybe I'm not the one you should be working with'. This is a two pronged decision. It strengthens some individual people's choices, but admittedly limits in some other areas (professional architects as a possible example). Question for me has always been 'Do I want to work with that kind of person anyway??' (On the rare occasion I have been contacted from that quarter, it has NEVER worked out in the end.)
The individual topic sections are marked by shared backgrounds / colour shifts. Frankly, I have no clear idea if the casual user even notices (??)
I have made some limited attempt to design the site so as to keep it high in the Google rankings. I consistently sit 'above the fold' (top 5 - 6 results) for a large number of potential searches. But frankly, that ranking system changes so quickly, I have come to think that chasing the rankings is a fools game. I manage primarily on the longevity of the site (over 15 years now) and especially on the volume of content.

This all is a massive amount of work. My pay off is that the internet is my primary source of new commissions.

Report from Goderich!

This is a more personal piece than most, of special interest to those who have participated in the Earth, Air Celtic Festival in Goderich over the years. This is a personal report on my couple of days on the ground, helping out.

I am the only visual artist who has been at the Festival for every one of its current 19 years of operation. I have also taught at the associated Celtic College every year it has been running as well. Over the years I have gathered a lot of friends in Goderich.

I was at Summerfolk in Owen Sound, actually talking to Goderich architect John Rutledge when the first rumours of a tornado in downtown there started circulating. This was about 5 pm - so less than an hour after the storm strike. Bill's first concern was for his partner Bill, still in Goderich and normally working at the Bedford - which is on the central square. 'How can I check on him - I don't have a phone!' I quickly lent him mine. While John was trying to get through he said 'I don't have any contents insurance on my office downtown'. The line to home and Bill just kept ringing. 'No answer, the machine should have come on, I guess that means the power is out there'. Just about that point, someone came by with an iPhone, downloading fresh images off the internet. One showed John's office building (on the south side of West Street, a half block from the Square). All the windows were smashed on his second floor location. The upper third floor was basically - gone.

The next day, I made some fast phone calls to friends in town. Right off the start I found out that although there was huge damage around the central part of town, no one we know had been injured. I decided to head over to Goderich and lend what assistance I could with the clean up effort. I contacted Greg and Nina Reynolds, who offered to put me up for a couple of days. So Monday morning I offloaded my booth from Summerfolk, and loaded up the truck with cutting torches, a small arc welder and generator, various hand power tools, and a collection of various yard work tools. I got over to Goderich about 6 pm Monday.

The police had set up what turned out to be three rings of security. Absolutely no one was getting into the central Square area. Only residents were being allowed into the damaged area. The outer ring was at the various highway entrances into town, were they were discouraging anyone either not from Goderich, or having a good reason, from even entering town. Because I had a specific destination (plus I think working clothes and a truck full of tools) I was passed into Goderich.

Greg and Nina Reynolds

Image: Looking north down toward Greg & Nina's.
Use the 2 foot tall traffic cone to scale the brush pile!

There was no damage at all to their place, along the cliff edge to the south side of town. I had checked with them second on my list, mainly because (as many reading will know) Greg had a construction accident about a month and a half back and broke both his ankles. Meaning he is in a chair and can't walk. Knowing Greg, he would be out trying to use his electric wheel chair like a log skidder. (And yes - he DID TOO try this - but could not get enough traction!) The trees running along the south edge of their small lot did drop a lot of branches, but these all fell into a dead space between them and their neighbour. The resulting pile of brush was the better part of 40 feet long, 10 feet wide and some 5 feet tall by the time we got it all cleared off.

Next I double checked (by heading over) to Bill and Beth Wark. 'Oh, we are just fine' said Beth on the phone. 'One small branch down is all. Maybe 10 inch diameter, leaning against the edge of the roof.'
Good news - no damage. "10 inches"?? More like two feet thick! Helping son Ian and son in law James, we three managed to get the trunk down on to the ground. My toy chain saw finally gave up the ghost, so we ended up hacking it in two with axes.

By this point it was mid day Tuesday, I checked back and went over into one of the hardest hit areas. This being the oldest section of Goderich, between the Festival's Harbour Park and the downtown Square. Most of the small houses in this area are wood frame, dating back to the early to mid 1800's.
Except for the lack of holes in the ground, the area looked like it had been subjected to an artillery strike. Virtually all the trees were down, and many houses either destroyed outright, or obviously so badly damaged they were hardly safe to even enter.

Conn & Cindy

Image: Looking roughly NE. Conn & Cindy's place is the house to the right.
The next door neighbour was actually sitting on the toilet you see in the middle room of the second floor at the time. The cast iron bathtub is what saved him from being crushed by the falling wall you can see.

Conn and Cindy were not home at the time. Their house had all the windows broken, some shingles off the roof, and some damage to the front porch you can see in the image. The initial engineer's inspection suggests the house may have twisted slightly, the top portion an inch or so off alignment to the foundation. Conn suspects this may not prove significant. A good number of the old asbestos sheet tiles that cover the house are broken from flying debris. There was a lot of wind borne mess and broken glass to clean inside, but Cindy said other than the mess, they did not loose anything. The yard was battered, with some damage to the shed, the fences all down and the pear tree destroyed. Considering the complete destruction to the house next door (and up wind) they feel they got off extremely lucky.

I did spend a good amount of time helping out with their friends and near neighbours John and Beth (who I don't know personally). The walls of their frame house bowed outwards in the middle with the pressure. The house will have to be demolished. The engineers would only let two people at a time inside the structure, so the rest of us carried and loaded trailers with their possessions. Again, they did manage to retrieve most of their 'photographs and memories' without too much loss. John was trying to be philosophical about it 'At least we will get a new house out it all...'

Other people we all know in the area (that I ran in to):

George Hoy ('Our Man in Goderich')
'A few branches down, outside of town there was virtually nothing'

Tammy Crocker
Vehicle badly damaged. Broken windows, but generally they think the house is ok.
They live in the core exclusion zone, so are effectively homeless, with only extremely limited access to their home and stuff. However they do have family in town to shelter them. Their problem is not their house, but the church next door. One major brick wall, mere feet away from their house, is threatening to collapse. Concern is that collapse will critically damage their place.
Warren and Elanor Robertson
Their specific street was well outside the serious effect area. I did drive past at one point, there was hardly even much tree damage. (And its all of four blocks from the Square.) Although I did not see them myself, word was that they were ok.


Now, at one point I did go over to the Harbour Park.

the Park House

Image: from the porch at the side of the Park House - looking south.
You can see 'Chez Hoy' across the street, and the mysterious sign exposed on the wall.

I did speak to Herb and his wife. Virtually no damage, one window broken, one other cracked. Loss of power meant loss of all their food stocks. Like all the central part of town, there was still no gas, no electricity.
One of the weird things was the wind tore a section of the old stucco surface away, in a neat rectangular patch. This revealed the word ' Restaurant' painted on the wall underneath!

Harbour Park

(click to greatly enlarge)
Image : Pannoramma, looking from SE rotating to SW while standing in the Park House lot.

Good News - there is no damage to the Band Shell, Picknick Shelter & Washrooms
Bad News - virtually ALL the trees are destroyed

Image: Looking roughly East, standing were the Port-a-Johns get set, across my normal demonstration area. 'My' tree is one of the few undamaged.

Image: Looking over to the area were most of An Droichead set their booths.
One of the large trees Laura and Catherine shelter under remains (almost the only large tree still standing). Jim Wallace's rose arbour is smashed under the large trunk extending over to the right.

Some general observations:

A curse on to:

- Rubberneckers, who 'just had to see' - but never got out of their air conditioned SUV's to help.
You could always spot someone who came to lend assitance, they drove with their windows down so they could ask who needed work done. (A special curse to the woman who started honking her horn at the truck trying to back into a drive with a trailer to load fallen branches.)

- Vacation People, who felt that they had some right to their favorite fast food items. McDonalds was one of the few who even attempted to remain open. They had no gas for grills (no one did!) so they were offering things they could microwave (mostly breakfast items). I saw someone bitch and argue because they could not get the exact thing they wanted. I was amazed the staff even showed for work, the state of town considered.

A blessing on to:

- The OPP, who I found polite, respectful, helpful, reasonable. In fact everything you'd want the police to be in a crisis situation.
- Local Teens, who just seemed to emerge from no where, any time there was something that looked like it needed doing. "Just figured I needed to help" was heard from many of them when I asked.
- Area Residents, who did not wait for the Civil Authorities, but just pitched in to help. Guys with pick up trucks and small trailers, who just kept stopping and hauling away brush piles. Everyone in the region with any tree cutting equipment seemed to have just shown up and got to work - leaving paid contracts to come work for free.

Will YOU be 'Raptured'...

... and if so, can I have your stuff?

Too funny not to repeat!

Stolen without permission from 'Peas & Cougars'

Most of you have probably heard that the rapture is supposedly happening this Saturday, May 21st (“the Bible guarantees it!”). So you’re probably wondering, Will I be raptured? Do I need to find care for my pets? Never fear, I’ve created a flowchart that will answer any doubt you may have.

(added 'Rapture Day')

In case you were wondering why your annoying neighbours were still there when you woke up this morning, I hear the 'official' departure time is 6 PM EST...

But someone threw this up on Facebook this morning (it sure suits *my* sense of humour!)

History as Music Video

These are making the rounds, but frankly - they are so wonderful I thought I'd add to the viral and post a couple here:

The Vikings ("Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode)


Beowulf ("99 Luftballons" by Nena)


These are by the group 'History for Music Lovers' - the History Teachers YouTube Channel. ABSOLUTELY worth checking out! (Direct Link to YouTube)

Of the ones I've watched (although they are all great!) my favourite so far is:

The French Revolution ("Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga)


(frankly, I can't believe I didn't pass this along earlier!)

A Public Service Announcement ...

To my frequent readers:
'Hammered Out Bits' got hit with spam comments today. Some 36 over the last 12 hours, distributed randomly through past articles mainly over the last year. You can tell as the sender is named as 'viagra' or something related, and the name is actually a blind link to a sales site.

To try to halt this, I've switched 'ON' the comment moderation feature. Normally I just let you all comment as you will (heck, its not like *I* don't refrain from 'calling them like I see them'!) Although its a bit of extra work for me, I'll try to let your (normally valuable, or at least interesting) comments pass through the system.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programing...

Piles of JUNK paper!

What is the frakin' point of using compact florescent bulbs - when Industry (helped by Government) maintains this kind of excess:

Friday is 'Flier Day' via our Canada Post delivery here in Wareham. This is what we got in our box on Friday, December 3:

Store - Size - Location - Distance

No Frills - 3 sheets - Shelburne - 25 minutes
Foodland - 4 sheets - Dundalk - 15 minutes (our local)
Foodland - 4 sheets - Dundalk - 15 minutes - DUPLICATE ABOVE
Wallmart - 6 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes
Wallmart - 3 sheets - (glossy) Orangeville - 45 minutes
Food Town - 2.5 sheets - Markdale - 25 minutes
Food Basics - 3 sheets - Shelburne - 25 minutes
Staples - 4 sheets - Orangeville - 45 minutes
Staples - 8 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes
Marks - 8 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes
Sears - 5 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes (catalogue)
Sears - 5 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes (catalogue)
Sears Sears - 1 sheet (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes (catalogue)
Sears - 3 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes (catalogue)
Sears - 8 sheets (glossy) - Orangeville - 45 minutes (catalogue)

Canada Post wrapper (24 x 24 blank heavy newsprint)
Which is not being counted, as I save these for drawing around the shop.

There was also ONE piece of addressed letter mail, which itself turned out to be (useless) advertising.

The total weight off all that junk was 410 gms - almost a full pound.
For each household.

According to 'Standard Carbon Resources'
( http://www.standardcarbon.com/resources/?p=66 )
the carbon footprint for a single piece of 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper is .0092 lbs CO2, so each of the 'sheets' above represents approximately 8.35 gms of C02.
There are 67.5 sheets total, so that makes approximately 126 gms of CO2 total.
Thats just the physical material itself.

Printing?
Transport?

Now, I did spend a good half hour on the web, trying to find ANYTHING else which might clearly give me some numbers on the associated environmental impact. Not a hope. Lots of hype - no NUMBERS. I am very sure that the printing and especially the transport aspects strongly overwhelm the mere paper material in contribution to global warming.

Given our location in the wilds of Central Ontario, the cost of trucking collected paper for recycling is sure to greatly exceed the value returned via that process. I did see something that suggested that when placed in land fill, 90% of the material proportion (at least) remains locked up in the ground.
We normally burn our waste paper. We have electric heat here (baseboards), which when we bought the place over 20 years ago seemed the best option. (Thats how the house came, oil and propane furnaces would be the other methods possible here.) Our wood stove reduces (significantly) our electric heating. That power comes essentially from Bruce Nuclear. (Which I'm a big supporter of, ok?)

Recycle all that paper? Or burn it and reduce (slightly) our fire wood consumption? I say that sitting in a room that has daytime thermostat set at 16, night time at 12.

Maybe just a hell of lot less junk mail produced and delivered in the first place!

Bit of a Facelift....

Mainly additions down the side bar.

As the Wareham Forge web site is now my primary means of contact for PAID work, I thought the large amount of time I spend writing and formating over here should have at least a FEW links back to 'what I do for a living'.

Reality and YouTube

Sometimes its hard not to rage against the 'world as it is' against the 'world as it *should* be'. More and more I find I'm becoming the 'old guy'...

Take YouTube.
I have a large number of available film clips available. At current counting there are 25 in total. (See my 'channel' : DarrellatWareham )
Of those the breakdown is:
Iron Smelting - 8
Blacksmithing Work - 13
Viking Age Work - 7
Fluff - 1
(some double up in those categories)

Now, what *bugs my butt* is people complaining about the video / audio quality:

Film Critics: PLEASE READ BEFORE COMPLAINING ABOUT VIDEO / AUDIO QUALITY
Please realize that I am an ARTISAN BLACKSMITH not a FILM MAKER.
Deliberate choices have been made to record information details, and the nature of the events depicted is effected by limited equipment.
Sound is recorded as 'ambient' - as I feel the sound of hammer on metal is a critical piece of information. This means problems with shifting volumes and background noise like fans and blowers sometimes intrudes.
Almost all camera systems use some form of infra-red focusing and what is depicted is hot metal. So of course focusing often shifts.
Cameras 'see' a different range of light than the human eye. The result of this is a flaring and inaccuracy when recording hot metals.
I deliberately choose to narrow the view to the working tools. The intent is not to display myself, but my work methods.
The video segments presented here are intended to be Educational - not Entertainment.

What I see here is people who can NOT get their simple brains past the intent of the film series in the first place - INFORMATION.
Yes I realize (St McLuhan) that the 'Medium is the Message'. But I get pissed off at weenies who feel its their goal in life to bitch about trivia like focusing, rather than paying attention to the CONTENT. And then feel it is appropriate to preserve their feeble opinion with posted comments.

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13:18

Forge Pot Base

88 views
1 week ago

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11:43

'Econo Norse' Iron Bloomery Furnace

99 views
2 weeks ago

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8:20

Norse Loom - working birch logs

392 views
8 months ago

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7:10

Forging Richards.mov

316 views
11 months ago

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6:42

Vinland3

454 views
1 year ago

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3:31

Vinland 2

335 views
1 year ago

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4:59

Viking Age Glass Bead Making

1,297 views
1 year ago

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9:35

Bead Making - Viking Age

710 views
1 year ago

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6:09

CanadaDay Beaver

93 views
1 year ago

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10:00

Cold Forming Reversal Curves

1,544 views
1 year ago

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7:12

Forging Elements - 'Rush Tip'

2,162 views
1 year ago

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7:14

Cutting Iron Bloom

828 views
1 year ago

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8:47

Vinland Iron Smelt

1,627 views
1 year ago

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2:39

John Little - Inflating Sheet

358 views
1 year ago

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3:31

Heavy Forging - Support beam

294 views
1 year ago

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9:36

Forging Elements - 'Kelp'

495 views
1 year ago

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5:17

A Blacksmith Shop Layout

4,653 views
1 year ago

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5:43

Iron Smelt - Bellows Plate: DARC 11/08

969 views
1 year ago

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2:34

Iron Smelt - Stone face with blow tube tuyere

2,044 views
1 year ago

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1:12

Norse Cauldron Hanger - 'Forging the Viking Age'

6,349 views
2 years ago

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4:20

Forging Knife Tang - 'Historic Bladesmithing'

6,706 views
2 years ago

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5:09

Twisting Bars from 'Intro to Smithing'

3,367 views
2 years ago

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2:58

Icelandic Iron Smelt - the Wareham Forge

3,840 views
2 years ago

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2:57

Iron Smelting Demonstration - the Wareham Forge

7,667 views
2 years ago

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4:03

Forging a Viking Age Broad Axe 77,062 views

Sing a long on Remembrance Day

To a tune from our youth...

One, little Two, little Three, little Infantry
Four, little Five, little Six, little Infantry
Seven, little Eight, little Nine, little Infantry
Ten little Infantry gone.

Eleven, little Twelve, little Thirteen, little Infantry
Forteen, little Fifteen, little Sixteen, little Drivers
Seventeen, little Eighteen, little Ninteen, little Infantry
Twenty little Infantry lost.

Twenty One, little Twenty Two, little Twenty Three, little Infantry
Twenty Four, little Twenty Five, little Twenty Six, little Infantry
Twenty Seven, little Twenty Eight, little Twenty Nine, little Field Medics
Thirty little Infantry 'repatriated'.

Thirty One, little Thirty Two, little Thirty Three, little Infantry
Thirty Four, little Thirty Five, little Thirty Six, little Chopper Pilots
Thirty Seven, little Thirty Eight, little Thirty Nine, little Infantry
Forty little Infantry bagged.

Forty One, little Forty Two, little Forty Three, little Infantry
Forty Four, little Forty Five, little Forty Six, little Infantry
Forty Seven, little Forty Eight, little Forty Nine, little Special Ops
Fifty little Infantry bought it.

Forty One, little Forty Two, little Forty Three, little Infantry
Forty Four, little Forty Five, little Forty Six, little Translators
Forty Seven, little Forty Eight, little Forty Nine, little Infantry
Fifty little Infantry buried.

(Oh, Don't quit now, We're 'making a difference'!)

Fifty One, little Fifty Two, little Fifty Three, little Infantry
Fifty Four, little Fifty Five, little Fifty Six, little Infantry
Fifty Seven, little Fifty Eight, little Fifty Nine, little Infantry
Sixty little Infantry lost.

Sixty One, little Sixty Two, little Sixty Three, little Infantry
Sixty Four, little Sixty Five, little Sixty Six, little Infantry
Sixty Seven, little Sixty Eight, little Sixty Nine, little Mechanics
Seventy little Infantry gone.

Seventy One, little Seventy Two, little Seventy Three, little Infantry
Seventy Four, little Seventy Five, little Seventy Six, little Radio Operators
Seventy Seven, little Seventy Eight, little Seventy Nine, little Infantry
Eighty little Infantry zapped.

Eighty One, little Eighty Two, little Eighty Three, little Infantry
Eighty Four, little Eighty Five, little Seventy Six, little Infantry
Eighty Seven, little Eighty Eight, little Eighty Nine, little Crew Chiefs
Ninety little Infantry got it.

Ninety One, little Ninety Two, little Ninety Three, little Infantry
Ninety Four, little Ninety Five, little Ninety Six, little Infantry
Ninety Seven, little Ninety Eight, little Ninety Nine, little Supply Clerks
One Hundred little Infantry slaughtered.

(Oh, You can't stop now, We 'Made a Commitment')

One Oh One, little One Oh Two, little One Oh Three, little Infantry
One Oh Four, little One Oh Five, little One Oh Six, little Infantry
One Oh Seven, little One Oh Eight, little One Oh Nine, little Infantry
One Ten little Infantry gone.

One Eleven, little One Twelve, little One Thirteen, little Infantry
One Forteen, little One Fifteen, little One Sixteen, little Door Gunners
One Seventeen, little One Eighteen, little One Ninteen, little Infantry
One Twenty little Infantry lost.

One Twenty One, little One Twenty Two, little One Twenty Three, little Infantry
One Twenty Four, little One Twenty Five, little One Twenty Six, little Forward Observers
One Twenty Seven, little One Twenty Eight, little One Twenty Nine, little Infantry
One Thirty little Infantry shot full of holes.

One Thirty One, little One Thirty Two, little One Thirty Three, little Infantry
One Thirty Four, little One Thirty Five, little One Thirty Six, little Infantry
One Thirty Seven, little One Thirty Eight, little One Thirty Nine, little Sappers
One Forty little Infantry blown to bits.

One Forty One, little One Forty Two, little One Forty Three, little Infantry
One Forty Four, little One Forty Five, little One Forty Six, little Reconstruction Workers
One Forty Seven, little One Forty Eight, little One Forty Nine, little Infantry
One Fifty little Infantry - wasted.

(Oh, We can't quit now, We don't have an 'Exit Strategy')

One Fifty One, little One Fifty Two, ...

Idealistic Young Soldiers all





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Related

• Lest we forget: This year's fallen

(old) Computers to Kwartzlab

As any one who knows me could tell you, I'm a hopeless scrounger! I also hate to see perfectly good things tossed aside for the 'latest and greatest'. Imagine how I feel about North American's horrible habit of throwing out working computers, mainly so they can purchase something smaller and faster (mainly just so they can play the latest games.) Truth is that a 20 year old computer can still handle all your business records and all your writing tasks.
For a number of years, my wife Vandy had worked at a major advertising agency in Toronto. About every six months, they replaced all their Macintosh computers with new ones. (Ok, in this case, maybe called for to handle the increasing complexity of graphic work.) She was able to purchase these 'surplus' machine at trivial prices (even for our tight budgets). They most often came with all the software loaded, sometimes with periferals and even program manuals. Over the years I had collected up a huge pile of perfectly working machines.
It got to be a pretty big pile.
Now, I had made a serious effort to try to donate these machines to ANYONE. Families on reduced incomes. Kids living in remote areas. Relief programs in disaster areas. Third World start ups. Absolutely no one was interested. Only the very newest machines, with the latest operating systems, would do. This left me pretty frustrated. (And wondering if some kid in Africa was using a bettter machine than I'm writting this on right now?)

Enter my friend 'Gus' Gissing and Kwartslab:

Boehmer Box Factory
First Floor
283 Duke St. W., Unit 106
Kitchener, ON
Canada N2H 3X7
43° 27' 18.2376" N, 80° 29' 46.9068" W
http://kwartzlab.ca/

Admittedly, Gus might not have realized quite how much stuff I was bringing. Like pretty much the entire history of MAC for the 1980's and 1990's. Even an original 'all in one' Mac 512 (yes, boys and girls, thats 512K!). Two thirds my Chev Astro full.

Kwartzlab meets Tuesdays at 7 PM - but members have access to the large production space with equipped workshops 24 hours a day. There was clearly a vast creative energy and sharing of viewpoints, inspirations and skills. Very Kool...

(oh, have fun sorting all that stuff - most of it does work if you can find the right cables. They are in one of those boxes...)

Mini-Lithic at Wareham

View from the path end - looking to the east

View towards the west

As many know, for many years a select group of close friends gather to 'burn a boat' in late January. This is a custom now many decades old.
Early in the spring, our next door neighbour decided to sell his home, the converted church here in Wareham. In preparation, he pulled out a number of large stones around his yard. He told me I could have these for the effort of hauling them away. The largest was about 1 x 1 x 2.5 feet - about all I could manage even on my heavy two wheeled cart.
I had always wanted some 'ancient stone work' around the property. The pile of roughly oval stones now on hand gave me a chance to build something like the ship profile grave markers I had seen in Denmark (dated to the Viking Age.
The result marks the space where year after year, the small boat is placed to burn. This is a double use, as Vandy's father had died about 18 months back, and some of his ashes had been placed on the boat last January. Not quite the grand Viking Funeral that Murry might have wished, but a fitting marker none the less...