My name's Sean Carr. I'm originally from Olean, NY, which is a small city nestled in the northern range of the Allegany mountains. I now live in the environmental wasteland that is Wilmington, NC. I just graduated from UNCW with a major in Film and a double minor in Religion and Creative Writing. For the time being I'm working for a year taking a break before gradschool(hopefully). I'd like to make films about things that are important, the environment, social issues, and hey, maybe some not so serious stuff too. I love the outdoors, riding my bike, reading good books, and just about anything travel related. I'm just an all around pretty cool mothertrucker.
I found this article. Once again I wonder how long we can look at the land as an economic resource. I think it’s ironic that our technology keeps increasing but yet we have the need for more and more resources. Part of this comes in the population problem. The more people you have, the more jobs you need. Jobs of course rely on supplying services and products to people who will exchange something in return for them. We haven’t found the balance of that here in America. Instead we have this insatiable need to keep growing and growing. I wonder where the leveling off point will be and when it will come if ever. This does relate to the park believe it or not. Making the park more accessible means making more roads and intruding into the natural habitat of the park. This leads to more disturbance by people of the local wildlife and habitats and the usual problems of litter and stoned out college kids passing out in the middle of the woods after eating a good heaping pile of psychedelic mushrooms(a tasty treat). I see no reason for development. People have feet, they should use them. Instead of wanting to drive your huge SUV into the heart of the park I recommend buying a nice pair of hiking boots and a map and make a week out of it. There’s been an awful trend when it comes to environmental policy these last few years. I can only hope the Democratic congress will try and reverse some of these decisions. I have my doubts. But when see a housing development being built and those bulldozers sitting helplessly alone at night I am given hope.
Honest to god, one more reason to hate politicians. Opening them to hunting is going to open a whole can of worms. Ranchers everywhere and generally people that just don’t like wolves for the bad reputation they have will be out there with their inbred children shooting wolves, or worse baiting them or trapping them. Funny how when the population gets above “healthy” levels we feel the need to cull the herd. I wonder how that’d work with humans? Then there’s the whole genetic side of this. If you kill off so many wolves there aren’t very many left, which will happen again with population(human) is increasing, you’ll have a very small genetic pool for re-population that will inevitably happen. Just not a healthy cycle here. From day one wolves have always been my favorite animals. I guess this is just one more reason that if there is a god “he” is not a all good, all powerful and all knowing entity. He’s probably some retarded prick…I’ve also been told recently that my blog is too “negative” and that people might get offended. Let me address that quickly. First of all, I’m a very sarcastic writer. Many of the things I say are in a sardonic tone and not meant to be taken literally. Second of all this is MY blog, if you don’t like what you read please go to www.happyplace.com and find your amusement there or elsewhere. Third I address a lot of touchy issues like religion. I’m a religion minor. After about 3 history of religion classes you don’t find too much reverence in them anymore. They’re just another convention of man, just like marriage(another one I don’t put too much stock in) and living the good life,you know, going to school, getting a business degree getting a good job in some cubicle so you can finance your house(in the housing development) and new car with the wife and kids. I’m happy for those who can do it, but it sounds a little boring for my taste. There are a lot of changes that need to be made in this world and it isn’t until you address them that you can start changing them. My first concern the environment, I don’t even need to say anymore on that, at least I shouldn’t have to. The second is the capitalist society we live in. Lots of great things come from capitalism, but I think too much importance is being put on the material goods like BMW’s, huge mansions and super expensive clothes. We instead of wanting more and more should embrace the fact that we have any at all. There are plenty of people who’d be happy just to have a bicycle. So let’s get off the materialism train, start being thankful for what we have and help the rest of the world to work out their problems and use our almost infinite power for good instead of promoting this ideology of growth and increasing wealth. So there you have it, my retort, maybe not good, but sincere, and that is one thing you can always count on. I don’t bullshit, never have never will. Nothing I hate more than the facade people put on just to get by. A little truth goes a long way…ok so now that we got that all addressed I’d just like to say you’re all a bunch of Christian assholes who have nothing better to do than spend your money on shit you don’t need and bitch about people’s blogs that you don’t have to read if you don’t think the content is appropriate. Freedom of speech baby what’s more American than that?(except stealing native land and mass genocide of the native americans) Fuck you all very much. : )
Raleigh | Citing the controversy surrounding the Dakota Fanning film Hounddog, the leader of the state Senate Republicans says he wants the government to review scripts before cameras start rolling in North Carolina.
That system, said state Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, would apply only to films seeking the
state’s lucrative filmmaker incentive, which refunds as much as 15 percent of what productions spend in North Carolina from the state treasury.
“Why should North Carolina taxpayers pay for something they find objectionable?” said Berger, who is having proposed legislation drafted.
…Just a few comments on this. The state law also bans all scenes which are “obscene” and it is not protected by the first amendment. For a state that will do anything for some extra bucks I’m surprised they’re so unwilling to try and help the film industry get back to its old self in these parts. Anyway thanks but no thanks, the last thing I want is some conservative asshole sitting in Raleigh telling me what movies are appropriate. For all I know these guys go to church every Sunday and find “cuss” words offensive therefore not allowing films with those distasteful and contemptuous words in the eyes of the lord. Second of all I wish the politicians would do what they do best(jackshit) instead of worrying about a short scene in a MOVIE!!, hey try to figure out how not to make North Carolina the next Florida…oh ya I forgot that’s what they want. Lastly the government spends our tax dollars on tons of shit we don’t need or want. So why should this be any different. We’re going to worry about a movie that no one will remember in a month instead of wasting our money(state and federal) with legislative riders and pork barrel spending. Thus one more reason politics is full of good for nothing shitheads. Never can trust people that live their whole lives just to win some votes.
Many of you who know me know that I’m not what you’d call the biggest fan of organized religion. For many reasons but many because it allows for abuse and politics to rule rather than the true point of believing in (a) god or God. I found this site www.beyondreligion.com This guy used to be a minister but is now involved what what many would call “new age” spiritual practices. But they aren’t new at all and it does provide good insight into what I believe. Not that any of you care but I’m tired of hearing that God and his innumerable atrocities(Old Testament), yes part of that book many deem as the word or God are somehow ok. Bible Atrocities … check ‘em out and see just how great your God is.
When looking through the news as I usually do to find a story that makes me furious I found this one. Here’s a good site for info on it Of course there are many more and it is hard to choose one story for every post. I’d much rather just post the link to the news but hopefully people here reading the blog take the time out to do it themselves. Although my buddy and I were in a bar the other weekend and asked a typical young college girl sitting next to us “so what do you think about North Korea”(knowing full well she had shit for brains). This young, highly intelligent and obviously well read “woman”(not really deserving of that title) replied, “huh?” Not because she didn’t understand the question, but because she didn’t have a [fucking] clue. I’m sad to say that the majority of kids my age are pretty dumb anymore. I don’t know if it’s a societal thing or if my generation was exposed too much MTV for too long. Though yet again lending support for my idea of adult abortion. Anyway sorry to get off topic, it’s way too late and I’m way too tired. The point of the post is this article right here(or at the top). I chose the story because I know most people really don’t give a shit about the environment unless it affects them. Just like the local sewer spills into the creeks around here. If it wasn’t for the fact that they couldn’t flush their toilets, nobody would give a shit(pun?). But anyway eat up, mmm fish. Sounds eerily familiar to DDT, another delicious condiment.
Past the docking stations I cruise
the Cape Fear River hoping to find silence
in a canoe I inherited from my stepfather’s stepfather.
Past a ship called the “Silent Wailer”
no pun intended I’m sure, as I start to wonder
what waters has the bottom of this vessel touched?.
The cold meltwaters of Alaska?
I know my step-step grandfather was there once.
Or has it only seen the flowing streams and lakes of his hometown?
The end of his river came a few years ago
the chance to ask him is well past due and
I don’t see this canoe sharing anytime soon.
It like him holds its history to itself,
unwilling to give or share with anyone
but time is fading fast for us all.
Like the waters, once it’s flown past, it’s gone forever
and with each new scratch and fading mark
I wonder, does the canoe know its ultimate end?
The loss of a chance to tell its story or at least try
like my step-step grandfather surely must have know
as his hair faded to grey in his old smoke stained room
I found the silence I was looking for on this river
but it does not comfort me like I had hoped
instead it reminds me how alone and fragile we are
The water beneath me is calm on its muddy surface
but below the waters churn and moan fighting
to reach back upstream and prolong their journey to the sea
Well finally we have some big corporations pushing the Bush admin to start finding ways to limit greenhouse gases. This sounds like a brand new idea…or not. I do hope this trend continues however. In reality this will probably accomplish nothing but hopefully it will set a trend for other companies to follow and private businesses. Not only that, maybe, just maybe Bush and his fellow cronies will have a change of heart and think about the possibility of allowing this. I personally doubt it, but if were lucky the Dems will come in and pick up Bush’s mess(also doubt that, damn politicians). Companies should brace themselves for carbon limits. I think the government has a responsibility to give them time to either adjust or change their modes of production. Without a certain amount of time many companies would have a hard time keeping all their workers because of a slow down in production to meet the limit. The reality is you can’t have a completely green industry and you can’t have a completely environmentally destructive industry either. There is going to have to be a balance. For so long we thought we could take whatever we needed from the earth and she’d replenish herself. Well were finding out that’s not true. And if I was a business man I’d invest the hell outta renewable energy companies. In the end it’ll be the best for everyone. Maybe not the wolves on public “grazing” land but they’re just going to have to deal with it because there are only more homes being built and land being developed, but that’s another rant for another day. Sad but true way of the world. At least there’s a glimmer of hope…Richard Dean Anderson, saving the world one seal at a time.
Now I don’t smoke this thing we call weed, herb, mary jane…etc. But I see no reason for it being outlawed. If you have an hour or so to spare you should watch this. Weed has been so stereotyped that it’s really gotten a bad name. Now I’m not saying that weed is necessarily a good thing. Anything in excess is bad. Too much alcohol you have a real mess on your hands. But I will say this if I had to choose between a stoned person or a drunk driving me I’d choose that devil’s weed smoking hooligan. Anyway just a rant that’s easily summed up in the documentary. Besides Woody Harrelson narrates it, and that’s awesome, almost as good as Willy Nelson. At any rate Guinness drinking should be made mandatory.
News Story… I really hope this could happen among other changes within the system. Probably won’t though. Politicians are all the same, go where the money goes. It’d be nice to have some real people who vote sincere on the issues, but it won’t happen. Just a god damn shame what’s happening to this country. Time for a revolution. Enough of standing back and letting some rich arsehole in congress make the decisions because some lobbyist took him and his family out for an all paid golf resort trip. Shit’s gonna hit the fan. And if it doesn’t I say we start throwing it… revolvere… ….also this is waaaaaayyyy off topic but if you like cycling check out Jessi’s blog at www.bitchkittie.com and her brand new writing in the form of Shakespearian sonnets. I’m telling you you’ve never read a blog until you read about cycling skirts in iambic pentameter. It’s all here at www.pinkmtb.com I do this not only for her and my benefit, but also because there’s a bunch of lard butts reading this right now and getting on your bike will not only help you get in shape but also cut down on taking your car everywhere thereby reducing the emissions into the atmosphere…hey every little bit helps.
Well I’m going to start a new tradition here on theearthwalker.com. A new weekly entry of poems that I’ve written during my duration as a creative writing student. So here’s the first of the new series….also if you get time check out this new show on the travel channel. Living with the Kombai.
The Remains of His Story
There is a house just south of the old water well
in the overgrown field next door
It’s cast iron stove hasn’t been warmed
since the summer of ‘41
That’s when “Stewie” Blumenthal
shipped out never to return
He was shuffled off to war
and to his unknowable demise in a foreign land
He left from New York Harbor watching
the empire coast fade into the past
That’s all I know of Stewie Blumenthal
I was only 3 when he died
But when I was a kid we used to play
on the roof of his home
His parents were long gone by then
they just left one day and never came back
My mother told me
they never even said goodbye
All that remains of their story
is the old shack we used to play on
A dilapidating tombstone of shingles
housing the remains of his family’s life
In a month from now it will be torn down
and replaced with rows of condos
The county planner say it will bring money
Maybe so, but it will also bring and end to the story.
In the end all our stories get lost
it’s only a matter of time before we’re forgotten
…Sorry for the poor video quality…this doesn’t have much to do with anything except it’s an awesome song at the end of Green Street Hooligans and might be one of the best fight scenes I’ve ever seen in its context. It’s much better if you’ve seen the whole movie(which you should and soon), it’s probably one of the most underrated movies I’ve ever seen. definitely a new favorite of mine and I don’t even like “soccer”…. but this part is really good. well done. well done.
…Just a few clips from Bill Maher sticking it to the man. He makes some pretty good points, not to mention he’s got balls. Just watch the last part with Murkowski.
After watching Green Street Hooligans I guess people do what they call a “chelsea grin” where they put a credit card in your mouth lengthwise and the kick you in the balls causing you to bite down on the card in pain which splits your top lip and bottom on the sides. Ouch. Anyway didn’t do jackshit today because my car’s acting up and I’m kinda weary to drive it too far just in case it does break down. But tomorrow I’m going to try to go out and take a bunch of photos from the area. I might just take my bike to do it. Probably should, I’m sadly out of shape and really need to get back on the bike but I can’t ride like I used to(mountain bike at least), it’s comparable to trying to play basketball after an being a couch potato for a month. That will probably take up the whole day, but you know you miss a lot of things driving. I figure if I take the bike and make a day out of I’ll get the Wilmington experience a lot more. I know I’ve lived here for three years but you find yourself getting into a pattern of monotony. I’d like to break that up and check out some of the local sites as well as attractions. I used to volunteer at a zoo nearby, doing stuff like playing with Roscoe the camel and petting the leopard and wolves and whatnot. A pretty cool experience, even took the baby tiger for a walk a few times. But I know there is another small zoo just like it down the road so maybe I’ll bike down there. I have a feeling I might need the road bike for all the miles I’ll be putting on but I don’t have the right pedals nor do I feel like subjecting my back end to that kind of punishment without biking shorts(even those don’t help that much). We’ll see, it should make for an interesting day. I’ll post the link to the photos tomorrow night probably. That is of course unless I get hit by a car which could very likely occur with Mr. Douchebag driving his huge Escalade or the rich college girls with their BMW’s that daddy bought for them. Just one more reason we should implement an adult abortion program. But on the other hand I have a feeling if we were allowed to abort people we don’t like I’d probably be on somebody’s list. Actually I’m sure of it. I guess I’d just have to abort them before they could abort me…better start planning…
I should post more but all I’m going to say is that I just got done watching “Green Street Hooligans” and it’s probably one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time. Just makes you want to drink a pint and makes soccer look half way respectable as a sport. But I suppose that’s European soccer not American. Anyway I’m heading downtown tonight for a few drinks and some relaxing, be back soon.
A lot can change in twenty years
even a simple cable repair man can see that much.
My view from the top of the telephone pole used
to be a flat, sand worn landscape
brimming with sea birds and evergreens.
Now plastic condos litter my view
from my crows nest of telephone wire.
They stand in the footprints
of stamped out copper roofed homes.
The four lane road down below hides
the old two lane “county 21.”
The same road that used to carry beat up Chevy’s
now fills up with Mercedes and BMW’s.
Hell, you can’t even see the ocean
unless you’re standing on the shore!
They call it “progress,” I think not.
Long ago a man wrote, “the woods are lovely, dark and deep.”
So, with no longer to go before I sleep
I hope to dream of creeper vines reaching over the concrete
of trees to shadow the shore
and gulls to roost in the apexes
of mansions long abandoned beside the sea
Well tonight is my last night in Western NY. I went down with my brother and dad to get dinner and a few beers before I left them and came back home to pack up(divorced parents). So tomorrows the big day. The first day of the last semester. HOLY SHIT. SCARED.EXCITED…HOW DO I PAY THE BILLS… Other than those pleasant thoughts running through my head it should be a good semester. Any how I’ll leave you with the blog address of one of my friends who’s recently come back on board to the blogosphere….his name is Justin and his blog is www.apachepilgrims.blogspot.com …can’t say it’s always politically correct but it is usually funny. It’s back to packing for me and soon onto the first day of the unknown…here we go…
I wasn’t going to write anything today but I read this article in the online version of The Star News which is Wilmington’s main newspaper. First let me say that there is this road called River Road in Wilmington that is beautiful. Compared to the rest of Wilmington it is pretty undeveloped. Not to mention it’s beautiful because it follows the river which winds all the way down to the sea in Carolina Beach. I would also note that this road is sponsored by the local bike club as one of the main rides because it is pretty open and safe with regards to traffic. It’s also quite scenic like I’ve said already. Now we can get to my point. They(being the city and Newland Communities) want to put a big development down there. Which I figured was coming one day but here’s the kicker. They want to take a section of the road and move it away from the river towards the existing communities . They say they’re doing this for two reasons. One is that it will be better environmentally because it won’t impact the land so close to the river and it will reconnect the wetlands to the river, which as of now are cut off by the road, but there are drainage tunnels to allow some of it through. Hell I figure as long as the road is there that’s barrier enough against the waste those golf communities and rich assholes already put in there. So under this new plan they say there won’t be so much runoff. Secondly they say that it will create more land for developments and golf course. So my question is that if the company’s real intention is to make the development more environmentally friendly, how will opening the land to more development closer to the river help? I say they’re just a bunch of money hungry, sunglass strap, boat shoe wearing assholes. If you want to know what I really thing about them you can ask me in person because I don’t want to offend any readers. SO really what this boils down to is the fact that within 20 years there will be no piece of undeveloped land around there. It’s really sad that such a beautiful place can be raped of any of it’s natural beauty. Well except the work done by the illegal immigrant landscapers. I say hell it’s good enough already. I suppose I’d try to do something. Many of the people that already live nearby are fighting it. But what it comes down to is the city planning board already approved it because more development means more growth and money. I’ll leave you with a quote from Edward Abbey. “Growth for the sake of growth is called cancer.” What’s sad is that this is going on all around the country. Abbey was protesting this 20 years ago, and now it’s everywhere. I myself would rather live in a wood hut than a 5 million dollar house in a housing development.
I was pretty drunk and hitting on this girl at the bar but my buddy said she was a dog.(This is an actual photo from when we went out a the other week.)
…Remember folks, when you ride your bike everybody wins.
Oh not a whole hell of a lot going on today. Just got back from my gram’s house. She was helping me with a Photoshop panorama of the Austin Dam. She also gave me her old super 8 camera and her old Mac computer. Not that either one of those are worth much but they are helpful doing the whole film thing. I’m headed down to the indian casino in a bit with my other gram and my aunt to help support the local Senecas. I’m really hoping to just hit it big so I can pay off my trip to Alaska(finally nailed down the date- JUNE 10-24). Moose, here we come.
…a photo I took the other day with my new fancy shmancy camera. I bet one day that will be a walmart or dollar general or something awful.
As I sit down to write this fine piece of literature, I’m helping myself to a Guinness. A fine, creamy, frothy brew that goes down easy; warms the heart and inspires the mind. Guinness much like most food in Western, NY has no health benefits. We’re a region of comfort food and drink. The rest of America can take there weight loss programs and shove it because if it doesn’t contain chicken wings, beef on weck and a nice helping of texas hot sauce on our texas hots then we sure as hell don’t want it. Western NY is most known for being the region that contains Buffalo. A city where religion and football are not mutually exclusive and 4 feet of snow is no reason to panic. But it is also home to perhaps the most revered bar food of all time, the chicken wing. A delectable and unfortunately often bite sized appetizer that is made in a variety of ways. I’ve heard people call them “hot wings, chicken wings, buffalo wings,” and just plain wings. I can assure chicken wings or wings is the correct way to say it. I can’t imagine my life without chicken wings. Not only are they a favorite part of my diet, but they are a part of my heritage and culture. I come from a region whose best qualities are snow and chicken wings, and to be honest I take a little pride in that. However, the chicken wing isn’t the only delicacy western NY has to offer. The beef on weck is perhaps a close second at least in this region. Slow roasted beef sliced thin and put on a kummelweck roll and I can’t forget a sizeable portion of horseradish sauce. A very delicious and yet unrespected or even unknown dish in the rest of the country. I hope it catches on even at the expense of the cows. Lastly, in the food group the texas hot. All it is, is your basic hotdog but covered in texas hot sauce usually topped with diced onions or even mustard and ketchup. The sauce most of the time is chopped hamburger meat in some kinda sauce. I don’t exactly know what it is but it’s absolutely delicious. And I can’t leave out the beer. Western NY for some reason loves beer and I dare say more than most parts of the country. Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s depressing 6 months out of the year with the weather. Or maybe it could be the Canadian blood that runs through most of western NY. But whether it’s Labatt Blue or Genesee we love our beer. Not just those though. We love all beer, cheap beer mostly. But good microbrews, crazy 8% Candadian brews or even cheap American pisswater…PBR and Schlitz has to make a comeback somehow. Anyway writing about all this food is making me hungry; I’m going to make a pizza now.
Well it’s the new year, double O 7. I would like to congratulate all of those who made it through this year and a large “booo” for all of those who jumped ship and missed the new year.(hey blame God for the short lifespans). But seriously, I have a feeling ‘07 will have more war, more environmental destruction and of course the births of millions of babies to overpopulate the planet and use up all the remaining resources. Hell by 2008 we should be well on our way to wiping out those useless polar bears and all that unprofitable ice, thus creating thousands of miles of beaches for tourists to spend their money on if the current global warming keeps up. Personally, I’m keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that one day I can visit the Smokey mountains and the beach all at the same time. It’s really about convenience folks. Ya, Florida might be gone but really who cares about a swamp and old people(that are just there to die anyway) that decided to live on a swamp. I’m not even a big fan of orange juice really. Then again if that happens we’ll see more illegal aliens than we’d ever want. Well excluding business owners that like to hire them because they work cheap and hard. I say fine the hell out of them, that’ll cure this problem real quick then maybe people will actually work those jobs because they don’t have to make jack shit because the Mexicans won’t be there to drive the wages down. I do work with some illegals at my job in the restaurant kitchen. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s really not even there fault you can’t blame them. But the business owners and the government that’s allowing it should get off their fat over porked asses and do something about it. I say Edwards/Gore ‘08…that’s my dream team anyway. And there cabinet would be awesome. Enough ranting… On a brighter note, I have one more semester to go before I am done with college. It’s a blessing and a curse, I’ll be very glad to be done but also I have to start being grown up and paying bills, well at least paying bills. Not a whole lot new on the agenda but I am going to Alaska for about two weeks after I graduate, somewhere in the end of may beginning of June. Me and my friend Jeremy Payne are going probably flying into Anchorage and bumming around there and Denali and maybe some other places during that time. It’s going to be awesome and expensive. All the elements of a a good vacation, plenty of sun, good friends, lots of beer and away from all those crowded cities of the lower 48. My only real goal is to see a moose and try to make it to this bar in Dawson City where they put dried toes and fingers in your drinks(it’s some wacky tradition, but I’ll try it once.) But that’s a good four months off in between then and now who knows. In the meantime school starts back up in a week so I’ll be heading back to southland in a few days. It’s both good and bad. I’m bored outta my skull here at home, but I also don’t have to deal with the traffic and overcrowding of that city. The biggest city within fifty miles of where I live is like 16,000 strong. But I do miss the sun and since today is only the second day I’ve seen it since I’ve been home I’m kinda itchin’ to get back even if it is an overcrowded, backward mess. In more important news-it’s time to get back into shape though so I’m taking my bike back with me to Carolina and getting back into football shape which is helped by my every other day regimine of running 3 miles. Gotta cut off like 15 pounds. That’s all for now, remember visit Bitch-Kittie’s site and leave her tons of comments because it makes her feel good. Shalom.
All I have for you today is an excerpt from Ed Abbey -
The personification of the natural is exactly the tendency I wish to suppress in myself, to eliminate for good. I am here not only to evade for a while the clamor and filth and confusion of the cultural apparatus but also to confront, immediately and directly if it’s possible, the bare bones of existence, the elemental and fundamental, the bedrock which sustains us. I want to be able to look at and into a juniper tree, a piece of quartz, a vulture, a spider, and see it as it is in itself, devoid of all humanly ascribed qualities, even the categories of scientific description. To meet God or Medusa face to face, even if it means risking everything human in myself. I dream of a hard and brutal mysticism in which the naked self merges with a nonhuman world and yet somehow survives still intact, individual, separate. Paradox and bedrock.
