"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind . . . And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar." - W. Shakespeare

To see some recent political commentary selected from the internet that I think provides food for thought go here.

LIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT

I've been making my living as a live sound engineer (front-of-house and monitor) and system tech since 1993. After several years of shows in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles I hooked up with RAT Sound Systems for some touring work. I've worked, at various times, as a PA, front of house (FOH), and monitor tech for RAT Sound on tours headlined by Rage Against the Machine (1997), Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals (2000-2001, 2004, 2005), Weezer (2001-2002), Jack Johnson (2001-2002, 2004, 2005), the Red Hot Chili Peppers (2002-2005), the Foo Fighters (2003), AFI (2004), Pearl Jam (2004), Maroon 5 (2005), and the Queens of the Stone Age (2003). Audiences at shows I've worked have ranged in size from 3 to 130,000+.

I specialize in setting up the L'Acoustics V-DOSC system. At RAT Sound we have the third largest inventory of V-DOSC in the United States. I've been a factory-trained QVT (Qualified V-DOSC Technician) since 2001 and have configured systems in over 150 different venues around North America so far.

I also have extensive experience programming systems and designing user interfaces (GUIs) for the BSS Soundweb line of products. In addition to having several years of personal experience with this unit I also attended the BSS advanced Soundweb training program in December 2003. Typical applications for the Soundweb include audio and video distribution networks for hotels, convention centers, home theaters, integrated home A-V systems, and, of course, concert sound processing.

Links to a couple of MIX Magazine articles on the Peppers tour.
Rat Sounds Takes L-Acoustics Rig out With Red Hot Chili Peppers (July 2003) and
Tour Profile: Red Hot Chili Peppers (Jan 2004, with photos)

All about the Peppers tour and a system profile from Pro Sound News (July 2003).

And a story dealing with the Dublin gig and technical aspects of the Euro shows from Total Production International (July 2004).

And from the L'Acoustics website (July 2004).

Dave Rat's Live Sound International articles on life on the summer 2004 Peppers tour. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Handy Stuff: MP3 Test Tones

NTI Virtual Minirator MR1

NTI Waveform Generator Software

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WHITEWATER RAFTING

Since my first experiences on a raft I've been hooked on this amazing lifestyle. After jumping into the sport by attending a guide school on the Kern River in 1997, the summers of 1998, 1999, and 2000 were spent learning, working and playing on rivers throughout California and Oregon. Most of my work so far has centered on the South Fork of the American River at Coloma, CA with runs from Chili Bar Dam to Folsom Lake. I've also worked the Middle Fork of the American (out of Auburn, CA) from Forest Hill to Murderer's Bar and the upper Klamath River (out of Ashland, OR) from Boyle Powerhouse in Oregon to Copco Lake in California. Companies I've worked for include Whitewater Voyages (El Sobrante, CA) and Rogue / Klamath River Adventures (Ashland, OR).

Other rivers I've been on and / or guided on are the lower Klamath, the Cal Salmon, the Yuba, North Fork of the American, North Fork of the Stanislaus, the Trinity, the Tuolumne, the lower Kern River, the Snake River at Jackson, WY, and the upper Gauley River.

GENEALOGY: My Family Tree

Try these links for some of the info I've collected so far.

Brisbois and Zimmerman | Olson and Jensen | Spitzer and Amiss

Also, there are photos to accompany some of the individuals mentioned below. See photos.

Brisbois Family (Dad's side of the family):

"With the founding of the iron foundries of Septfontaines and Ansembourg, the need arose for experienced charcoal burners. As the feeding of the fire in the charcoal pile, set up in the forest, needed constant attention, these people necessarily lived in the forests, a situation which made them always a bit suspect in the eyes of the worldly and ecclesiastical authorities. Let us quote some of their names which meanwhile have become Luxembourgish: Brisbois, Dupong, Santer, Flammang, Peschon, Robinet, Lahyr. As they came, at least partially from the francophone part of the former Duchy of Luxembourg, one cannot speak of an immigration 'strictu sensu,' but rather of an internal migration." - thanks to Pete McDonald for this quote from a history of Luxembourg.

Olson Family (Mom's side of the family):

Family names include: Olson - Lacey - Whitney - Jensen - Lyngby - Spitzer - Easterday

Olson + Lacey

Lewis Olson emigrated to the United States from Norway in the mid-1800's. It's likely that he arrived in New York from Stavanger Norway on June 18, 1849 aboard the Ebenezer. He is shown in a passenger mainfest as Lars Ollsen, male, age 21, travelling in steerage along with Rasmus Ollsen, age 23. [See passengers 29 and 30]

From the website 100 Years of Emigrant Ships from Norway we learn:

"The Ebenezer was built in 1847 at Jacob Kielland & Søns ship yard by Knud Kaisen. She was built for L. & S. Svendsen who owned her from 1847 to 1865. The Ebenezer was a schooner of about 199 tons. She made 5 voyages from Stavanger to New York with Norwegian emigrants. She first crossed in 1848, the year after she had been built, and the last voyage with emigrants was in 1853. On all of these voyages she was mastered by Capt. Clausen, who mastered the ship for 10 years. The Ebenezer was one of the fastest of the Norwegian emigrant ships. Her record crossing was 30 days from Stavanger to New York in 1850."

He is thought to have become a naturalized citizen of the US at Weaverville, CA. He is likely shown in Jim W. Faulkinbury's book Foreign-Born Voters of California in 1872 as Lewis Olson, 42 years old in 1871, born in Norway (record number 44466).

He and his family eventually settled in San Francisco, CA where he owned a shipping company. This was to be the Olson family trade for generations to come, with at least one great-great-grandson still plying the Pacific as a captain in 2005.

Four of Lewis Olson's sons were Oliver, Edward, Walter, and William. Oliver, my great-grandfather, went on to establish his own shipping company, Edward was a fireman in San Francisco, and the other two are desribed by articles below.

Olson + Whitney

Jensen + Lyngby
Jensen + Spitzer

Spitzer + Amiss
Spitzer + Easterday

Lewis Amiss Spitzer (GG-grandfather on my Mom's side of the family) (b. Feb 10, 1840, d. Feb 8, 1912)

Lewis Spitzer emigrated from Virginia to California in the 1850's with many adventures along the way. Over the years he found work as a miner, lumberjack, stagecoach driver, farmer, raising livestock, and other occupations until finally serving as County Assessor of Santa Clara Co., CA from 1879 until his death in 1912.

Lewis Amiss Spitzer's uncle, Moses Augustus "Gus" Spitzer, was a probable member of the Donner Party of 1845-46 and is thought to have died at Donner Lake that winter...