Yes, The Cremation of Sam McGee........ smiles
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Ahh ! .. and the plethora of other poems, songs and tales of life in the Far North...
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Reading poetry to each other over the HF radios has evolved over the years to be part of our field work. So often it is in such isolated settings that unless you provide it, you are not going to be entertained. Cabin Fever is one of the worst enemies we have to deal with (no, it isn't lightning...
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(Smiling) So much of the world still views a paraffin (kerosene) lantern as high tech,... and have you ever tried to pick up Direct TV (etc) from above the Arctic Circle... what aurora does to everything electronic? Think the ways of Shackleton/Scott/Amundsen have passed into history?-- spend a few weeks in the Bush, it will change your mind...
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Years ago on a joint project with our Canadian brethren, we were introduced to a charming social activity to pass the evenings. Sitting around the woodstove a dozen or so would start it off. Guitars are produced, a song notebook with tunes the guitarist's know is pass to the first person; that person selects a song, and everyone sings along. The book is passed to the next person and while they are selecting the next song, that first person stands and, from a personal book favorite, or better still, from memory (aplauded) recites a poem, a short story, a joke, does a pantomine- whatever they like--- its up to them to entertain the group until the next song is chosen and sung. Some of the songs and skits are lively, others can bring tears to the eye (Barbi playing her guitar and singing solo, a sad ballad in French often does that)- They can also be bawdy or farcical..... Meanwhile the bottle is passed about the circle. This can go on and on thru out the evening until finally the bottle(s) are empty, eyes are heavy and before the nodding-off begins, the appropriate scientists wander off to put their project to bed before crashing themselves.
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I guess this all has something to do with radio- I did mention HF in there, didn't I ? In this case, I tried to weave the love of the science, into the the social fabric that ties it together with the people that do it. Its all much more than capacitors, antennas .....
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I know this is probably testing the limits of the original subject posed by Xccess days ago--it has gone from the placement of a lightning arrestor to singing ballads in the Far North.
So least I test the patience of many, and before I blow the fuse on this subject--
This has been my epilogue on the topic: "Lightning."
Au Revoi !
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................CF
