smokerblog

A Man Learns to See

A fascinating story of a man whose sight was partially restored by an experimental implant of stem cells. Here is an edited diary published in the Guardian of his experiences learning to use his eyes again for the first time since he was three.

Independent Radio

By independent, I mean unaffiliated with any larger corporate or organizational entity such as ClearChannel or Westwood One. It also rules out most public radio that is heavily tied to NPR or PRI. College radio stations are the prototypical independent stations, although they have typically had limited reach into the surrounding community. Lately, largely thanks to the internet, some stations have gained a large public following.

One local station, WBER, of which I have been a fan for many years is a good example. They are technically the radio statoin for Monroe County BOCES, except you would never know that by listening. They play new "alternative rock" and have a substantial audience that reaches across the Rochester area as well as the internet. On some shows DJs select the music and listeners regularly vote on "test tracks" that may or may not make it into full rotation.

A couple of other examples I have stumbled across recently include KCRW out of Santa Monica, CA and WNCW out of Spindale, NC. Both stations can only be described as eclectic. KCRW plays a mellow mix of international, adult contemporary, jazz and blues. WNCW (the station I have been listening to the most lately) plays plenty of bluegrass, jazz, blues, reggae and rock.

These stations have been growing in popularity and are seen by many as a valid alternative to mainstream radio. If you like your music raw, unpasteurized and unhomogenized, you should check them out too.

Tornado Pictures

Cleanup continues at Allegen Farm. Here are some pictures taken by Erma and Leon that I am just now getting around to posting. As my dad said, you hear about something like this and try to have a picture in your head that is the worst possible picture you can imagine; that way, when you actually see the damage, you won't be as shocked. Even after using this self-defense mechanism, I was still unprepared for this scene of the farm as it appeared the morning after the tornado.

Here ia a picture of what used to be Kevin and Judy's house.

To show the progress that was made in the first week of cleanup, here are some shots of the heifer barn before cleanup began and by the end of the week, after the help of the MDS crew.

There is still work to be done, especially once rebuilding plans are finalized. The CMA Church (One Alliance Avenue, Coudersport, PA 16915) are collection donations on behalf of Kevin and Judy and the Hickox Bible Union Church (2030 Hickox, Genesee, PA 16932) are collecting on behalf of Jim and Sharon.