Whew ... sure wish I'd known!

Just think of all the money I'd have saved on travelin'. Some travel for pleasure, others out of necessity. Well hell, now that I know they ain't lookin' for me, since I dint do nuthin' serious (that's my story, now don't argue with me), I guess I can finally settle down into my nice homey lil' existence.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/crime/fl-warrants-backlog-20110212,0,4108174.story

Happy Christmas, Mary!

Whew!

It's been about five hours now and no sign of the cops. Looks like I may be in the clear!

Well ... here's an unique title for an email. I thought for sure it was some kind of 'gay spam'. I hate being disappointed :(

---Original Message (Complete with utterly random keyword phrases) ---

Subject: OVER THE RAINBOW MY JUICE FLY

Message body:
Pump longer and harder with our herbal solutions, money back guarantee.
This textual variant is supported only by Ethiopian manuscripts, and has no other Greek manuscript with it.
United Nations Development Programme.
He was the first founder to enter the Chapter Eternal.
School attendance is compulsory for nine years.
Such devices usually consist of one or more pipes or tunnels through the embankment of the dam, directing water usually under high pressure to the river downstream.
Germany has established a positive reputation around the globe.
Planning Web Accessibility Training.
It is within the boundaries of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.

---

Can you say "schizo"? I knew you could :)

Fun Stuff!

Stay tuned. The quote from Carlin at the end is priceless.

I don't question
our existence
I just question
our modern needs

Let's mop up the Gulf with BP's children!

My Lords I call to order
On the issue of the enviroment
Nothing is being done

My lords we can't keep dancing along
Pretending everything is just fine
The consequences are devastating
We must strike out and rescue this
Fine earth upon which we live
Mother nature has suffered far too long and quite enough
Much has been said my lords
Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done
I repeat nothing nothing nothing is being done

Order
Order

Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done

I suggest that the floor be passed to Mr. Beck

Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done

My Lords

My Lords

The consequences are devastating

Much is being said my Lords
But nothing is being done
Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done
Nothing is being done

For those of you who weren't paying attention!

Juss a lil' sumpin' sumpin':)

... and you call that $#@! you listen to "music"?

Let's here it for the Greeks who are 'flying the bird' to the World Bank, the IMF and the European Union. Is anyone surprised the DOW tanked yesterday? It seems pretty clear that our corporate masters panicked once they realized that "a whole fucking nation' rebelled against their hegemony. Too bad the sheeple in the good ole USofA are so damned slow to wake up!

AMEN!

Oh ... Don't do it, people! Don't go to prison!

They don't let you practice witchcraft!

Just as relevant today!

Merry Christmas ... Ya Damned Heathens!

!!! Happy Birthday !!!

Today is the 118th birthday of the US 'Bill of Rights', so go on out, get yourself a new gun, pop off a few rounds, get mouthy with whoever happens to be nearest (as a favor to those lacking inspiration, try this: "You can take your flu shot and hang it in your ass. You ain't the the devil!) and show what an upstanding citizen you are by not capping the poor schmuck. Save your bullets for someone who deserves a cap in their ass, like any one of those greedy, treasonous bastards on Capitol Hill that have betrayed the US constitution. This activity will be best enjoyed while whistling 'Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You, Happy ...'

The Yugas and the Possibilty of a Binary Star System

Walter Cruttenden has proposed a challenge. There is a prize awaiting whoever poses the most probable theory as to the existence of a partner for our sun. This unknown partner would go a long way toward explaining the phenomenon of precession. This phenomenon has, historically, been understood to be the result of the observable 'top-like' wobbling of the earth. Cruttenden proposes that this effect is not due to any localized wobbling of the Earth. Rather, it is due to the synchronous action of our star in conjunction with its cosmic partner. My visualization of this phenomenon is of two roulette balls rolling around intersecting tables ... the intersection being a super-massive black hole.

This subject matter is somewhat complex, but not beyond the intellectual capabilities of any who would care to devote a small amount of time to the subject. The ramification are enormous.

The Hindus believe that there is a cycle of time that corresponds to what we know here in the West as the 'Precession of the Equinoxes'.
This cycle of time is universal. It is recorded by the passage of the stars through the heavens, along the ecliptic.
The traditional view in the West is that the cycles of precession are evenly measured, that each age (i.e. 'The Age of Aquarius') is equal in length. The view is that the 'Great Year', the total length of the precessional cycle, is evenly divided amongst the various shorter periods [ages].

According to Hindu cosmology, the cycles are not even, but rather, exponential. The periods, when graphed, correspond to a cone, with its attendant properties. Mirrored, this cone exhibits both accelerative and decelerative properties.

In other words, the Hindu (Yugic) frame of reference has the periods (Ages) either accelerating or decelerating depending upon the state of the cycle. The Kali Yuga is either the end or the beginning of the cycle. In fact, it is both. It is the time of great darkness. It is the shortest, yet darkest, period in the cycle.
It is the time of the greatest occlusion of the human mind; the time during which humanity is bereft of clarity.

The Hindus believe that Tantra is a gift. That it is a tool which, if put to proper use, can allow us to trick the fates. They believe that it is a tool which can allow us see the light at the end of this tunnel of darkness.

Regardless of ones attitude toward Tantra, the proposition of Cruttenden is that we are subject to this 'mental occlusion' due to our planet's far-flung relationship to the super-massive black hole around which both our sun and it's mysterious partner revolve in tandem.

Scarlet Women

Perhaps it does not bear mention, but being me, I will do so anyhow:
Despite the zillions of web pages out there, there appears to be not a single one (not on Google, anyway) that mentions the terms, 'Roast', 'Baby' and 'Jesus'. Holy shit, you would think someone would have thought of this. I mean, Jesus, he's the Lord. If he doesn't taste good who does?

Are we so stifled (read that "brain-washed") that we cannot even approach religious matters with the slightest degree of dispassion? I would set up a nativity scene in my front yard that depicts the Mother Mary basting her plump little tot if I thought the mainstream media would give it any air time.

The Spirit of Hope

In keeping with the spirit of hope offered by the ensuing holiday season, I offer up this little gem!

Mantra for the Masses

Crazy ... that's how it goes
Millions of people
Living as foes
Maybe,
It's not too late
To learn how to love
And forget how to hate.




While I don't care for most rap, my issue with it lies primarily in calling it music. I am willing to concede that rap is 'art', but that art is poetry. In some (or even many) cases it might actually constitute 'high art'.
That being said, I feel that the same attitude is appropriate when considering forms of music that we generally agree are music, yet do not necessarily agree are pleasant or worthy of our time. Fundamentally, the role of art (excluding commercial art, of course) is not simply to be pretty or to make one feel comfortable. It is to challenge our fundamental assumptions about the nature of reality. Frankly it's purpose is to get us to ask ourselves: Are we deluded? Are we full of shit? Have we been lied to all of our lives?
That being said, I would ask - What better purpose could there be for anything in this life?
I have, for quite some time, considered modern jazz to be the music of the 'Kali Yuga'. It is for me. Yet, it seems this is not so for the masses. While the crude nature of rock and roll is quite apparent to those of us who need greater complexity in our music, the fact remains that it is music. It possesses the basic attributes that qualify it as such. The same cannot be said for much rap which lacks the requisite musical need for basic melodic and harmonic elements.
Lest I make this post merely a treatise in defense of rock and roll, allow me to say that the simplicity of form which characterizes much rock is, by no means, something unique to it. Many, many forms of music are quite basic and yet exert a powerful effect upon human beings. This is the great secret of the magic of music. A fine music teacher of mine once pointed out how repetition was a most effective means of establishing tonality. Tonality is no less than an audible Jungian Archetype. It's seductive abilities are due to it's coercing us into recognizing fundamental principles which are not only shared by all humans but are universal throughout all life. Rock and roll, like all music, has the ability to lift us up and inspire us. The simplicity of rock allows it to reach a wider audience, to tap into the primal nature of us all. Of course, this can be for better or worse. However, in the case of a piece such as 'Crazy Train', I think it is for the better. After all, when the music is so simple that anybody can understand it without having to think about it, where does the real meaning lie for the average bloke? In the words, of course. Here they are ...

"All aboard! Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaa!

Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay

Crazy, but that's how it goes
Millions of people living as foes
Maybe it's not too late
To learn how to love
And forget how to hate

Mental wounds not healing
Life's a bitter shame
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train

Let's Go!

I've listened to preachers
I've listened to fools
I've watched all the dropouts
Who make their own rules
One person conditioned to rule and control
The media sells it and you live the role

Mental wounds still screaming
Driving me insane
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train

I know that things are going wrong for me
You gotta listen to my words
Yeah

Heirs of a cold war
That's what we've become
Inheriting troubles I'm mentally numb
Crazy, I just cannot bear
I'm living with something' that just isn't fair

Mental wounds not healing
Who and what's to blame
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train "

Olio Nuovo

Hey girls, since you two live out there in the wilds of Northern California, I thought you might be familiar with the California Olive Ranch. I found out about them from an article in the September issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine. The article raised a question that I have often contemplated, 'Are the olives and, thus, the olive oils from California every bit as good as their Mediterranean counterparts?' Well, they ultimately rated a Spanish Arbequina the best, but the Arbequina oil from California Olive Ranch came in just below it. Since I often purchase Arbequina from a terrific oil company called Spectrum Naturals, I decided to check out the California Olive Ranch. Boy was I happy to have found out about them. I signed up for their email newsletter and soon found out about a wonderful product that they have begun offering. It is really something very special, Olio Nuovo. Olio Nuovo is produced from the very first olives pressed after the fall olive harvest. According to Claude S. Weiller, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at California Olive Ranch, "We bottle it immediately after we press the olives. Unlike other oils, we don’t put Olio Nuovo into tanks at our two mills for a few months to allow the fruit particles and other sediment to settle. That’s why you need to consume Olio Nuovo by early March. Otherwise, those fruit particles will begin to ferment."
Previously, an American would either have to have been related to Mediterranean olive growers or be in good with the them to have the opportunity to enjoy the once a year production of Olio Nuovo. Now, it is possible for anyone to be able to enjoy this rare treat. I put in an order for four bottles of it back on August, 7th. It is suppose to become available for shipping this month. I am really looking forward to it. Of course, I have an olive fetish so you may not share my enthusiasm.

WH, did you happen to see last month' s issue of Saveur magazine. The theme of the issue was, Why Lamb Rules! It had several articles about lamb and many recipes, of course. I learned a lot from it. For example, I did not know that lamb raised east of the Mississippi is primarily grass-fed, while that west of it is typically grain-fed. I do not know why that should be the case, but it makes me want to get hold of some that is grass-fed.
On a related note, are you familiar with Niman Ranch? It appears that they are pretty big players in the US lamb business. I did not learn that from the issue of Saveur but, rather, from visiting the Niman Ranch web site. I found out about them when I picked up a package of what were touted as 'All Natural' Andouille Sausages. I liked the sausages and decided to visit their website. I had no idea at that point that they were also in the lamb business. It turns out they graze large numbers of sheep in vast areas of the west stretching from Utah and Idaho on into California. They seem to be going about the whole business in a highly ethical way.

Witchcraft of a different flame!

Must love music:



Jeffrey Khaner holds (last I heard) the prestigious Julius Baker chairmanship at the illustrious Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. He is, perhaps, the best flautist in the world.

A Hand in the Bush

Your momma told you that you're not supposed to talk to strangers
Look in the mirror and tell me do you think your life's in danger here?

Witchcraft and Lesbianism

Now I feel the time is right
Love will flow like wine tonight
Give your love and it will come to you
If you feel that you and me
Could escape and hold the key
To a paradise that's true and free


Please forgive me, my flock. I have not abandoned you. I have simply been busy practicing witchcraft and becoming a lesbian.

HAPPY BOO DAY !!!

Anyone remember Rock`n Roll? It was pretty cool for what it was worth.

R.I.P. Rock`n Roll

Oh, Canada!

WM mentioned health care and I have another story to tell.

Did you know that our neighbors to the north amended their original Citizenship Act of 1947 recently? Canada is such a concerned county. They are always worrying that somebody has been left out, or been unfairly treated. Gotta love' em. Some of their neighbors could take a hint! So on April 17, 2009 the qualifications for being a Canadian citizen were changed. Here's the website for a little more information.

The new law states that if you are in the first generation of children born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen AND born after 1947, (there are a couple of other caveats in there too, but nothing major) you are not just eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you ALREADY are one and it is retroactive to your birth date back to 1947 (after the original law).

As far as it concerns MY family; you may remember that my mother was born in Canada and she remained a resident alien in the U.S. right up until she died.

1. I'm not a 2009 restructured Canadian because I was born before 1947. I think if I pursued it through legal channels I qualify, but at this stage of the game, it doesn't matter to me. If I want to visit Canada, I'll just take my U.S. passport and go.

2. It doesn't affect my youngest sister who was born in Canada and is already a duo-national. BTW, neither Canada nor the U.S. have any restrictions about dual citizens in each others countries. Interestingly, since she was born in Canada, her two first generation sons are automatic Canadians too.

3. Middle sister...BINGO! First generation, born in the U.S. in 1953 to a Canadian citizen. After paying some minimal paperwork fees, she will get her Canadian citizenship card and will be eligible for all government programs. That includes their universal health care. They aren't old enough for Medicare and since Sis and her husband have been will-o-the-wisps, going all over the place in their boat and picking up jobs and money while the times were good, they are now between a rock and a hard place, medical insurance-wise. It is a definite possibility that they will be pulling up stakes and moving to the Great White North.

Would it work out for them? I sure don't know.. she is our well-loved, but different-drum-marching sibling. I do know that Canada has loads of programs to get newcomers settled and neither one of them is afraid of hard work. The safety net of medical coverage would certainly be a huge relief to them.

Compare the U.S. 40% uninsured to Canada's 5% and I can certainly see the attraction.

My Apologies

I am very sorry for being remiss. It was not my intention to ignore my friends.

Although WM's suggestion that my vacation was a sort of rehab did hold a kernel of truth, that is not the main reason for my absence.

Much to my chagrin, I have been pulling my hair out for the past several weeks over my computer. You may recall that I mentioned on CC's blog that I built my own computer as a birthday present for myself. This was last November. It was a beautiful, purring, little kitten ... until about a month ago. Around then, I woke one morning to discover that it had shut off during the middle of the night. I had no idea why. I will spare you all of the details, but suffice it to say that, through much analysis, I discovered that it was not a hardware problem (much to my relief). Never-the-less, the problems kept compounding until I finally broke down and purchased a new 500 GB hard drive just so I could back up some critical files and install a new version of Windows Vista. It is this new version of Vista that I am currently running. It is my hope that I can successfully troubleshoot my problems with my original install. However, I am not optimistic. Given all of the time that I have spent working on it, I think it is most likely that I will just wind up reformatting my 10,000 RPM VelociRaptor drive. After which, I will have to simply start all over.

This is not something that I am happy to have to do, but it is not the worst thing. When I built this machine, it was because my old one crapped out. At least this time, I had the good sense to back everything up in multiples. It would take a major mechanical malfunction to cause the loss of all my critical data.

Anyway ... I again want to apologize for being absent. I have not abandoned this blog and I have managed to find the time to, at least, do the CX everyday. I have intended to chime into CC's blog many times. However, my computer woes have taken more time from my day than I am inclined to give and it all just continues to remind me of just why I did not opt to pursue a career in computer science.

Olly olly Oxen Free

From our old standby, Wikipedia

"Olly olly oxen free is a catchphrase used in the childrens' game of hide and seek to indicate that players who are hiding can come out into the open without losing the game. It may possibly be from the German phrase "Alle, alle auch sind frei!" which loosely means "everybody is free!" (Too bad the Nazis didn't use the phrase during WWII. But that is another topic.)

"The correct phrasing used for generations of hide-and-seek and kick-the-can players is based on old English and goes as follows “ALL YE ALL YE IN COME FREE” and it means exactly what it says “all ye players may come in free” ."

OK PMT, time to check in. It has been two weeks since your last post here and we haven't seen you at all around the corner. This blog was your welcome brainchild and it just doesn't flow well without your input.

We have an interesting new poster, PJB and the rest of us still have an unstated opinion or two. Windhover has been dropping his two cents around the corner, but he needs to come back here to really vent. Like the rest of us, all he needs is a little encouragement. (I know, WH, not a whole lot is required.)

AND we still want to hear more about your cruise/vacation.

We all hope that everything is well with you.

Called Out As A Racist...Who, Me??

Around the corner is just getting to be more and more fun. Today, I was called out by one of those idiot anons for being a racist. My racist remark (now get this) was that I noticed the country of origin spelling of his/her original post, between offence (British) and offense (American). Haul me off and and make me a jailer on...oh, where was that prison in South Africa where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 27 years? Now I remember, Robben Island. Yeah, I can hardly wait to start abusing shackled, defenceless (British spelling, notice) prisoners. Oh rats, the country's gone democratic and all that apartheid crap is history.

Or maybe I was being a racist for objecting to the anon's comment about someone being a "phobed out closet case". Hey, I'm as tolerant as the next black, Jewish lesbian (had you fooled, didn't I?), but the comment was ridiculous and was obviously meant as an insult.

All of this started because Brokeback Mountain was a subject of discussion. I thought the movie was cheated out of an Academy Award by a cowardly group of Academy voters. I thought the subject was handled with tact and dignity and left me feeling a great deal of sympathy for the lead characters. Beside that, it was a beautifully filmed movie. I'm sorry that my accuser liked the movie too. That is one too many things in common for me.

PMT, where are you? It is time to get back out here and start offending some people, amusing others and letting everybody know just where you stand!

Impressions

Lucky!

Sort of.

The day we left it was stormy. Richard, having spent many years working undercover for the FBI in JFK posing as an immigration agent, had the good sense to ask if we could board an earlier flight out of Ft Lauderdale. We were booked on the 5:15PM flight, but were there two hours early as required for international flights. The announcement informed us that the 3:15PM flight was delayed by an hour due to thunder storms. Rich figured that the 4:15 flight would also be delayed by at least an hour and, likewise, our subsequent flight. He asked if we might be put on standby for the next flight and, sure enough, we got on that one. This worked out great for us. Not so, unsurprisingly, for our bags. When we arrived at Arlanda International in Sweden our bags were not there. To Delta's credit they did know where our bags were. Apparently they were en route to Stockholm via Paris. We hoped for the best and that is what we got. About ten or twelve hours later our bags arrived at the hotel. Things were looking good. I figured that if that was the worst we had to deal with on our trip we would be getting off easy. As you know, that was not meant to be.

T he next couple of days were amongst the nicest of our trip. The weather was gorgeous. All of the Swedes came out for the big marathon and it was really a wonderful atmosphere in Stockholm. It couldn't have been better. The hotel had in-room Wi-Fi and that was when I was able to post the picture of all the people down along the Slussen.
I knew that the Swedes in the NHL were not typical. The professional hockey players are big. But still ...
Not only were the Swedish people nowhere near as big as I expected, they were fairly small. So much so that it struck my notice virtually immediately. The first day (Saturday), boarding the metro, I expected to be on guard psychically against the forbidding descendants of the vikings. Nope. They were neither as large as I expected, nor as blond.


The last day, the weather turned. That was the day that we had already boarded the ship and we spent that day on a tour bus visiting all the must see places around Stockholm while it rained. This turned out to be for the best. Our previous two days had been on foot and, at least, on this final day we were sheltered by the bus.



to be continued

Encore

I have to applaud ClearAyes for choosing a better car. After all, there is only so much oil in the ground!

There's only so much oil in the ground
Sooner or later there won't be much around
Tell that to your kids while your driving 'round downtown
That there's only so much oil in the ground

Can't cut loose without that juice
Can't cut loose without that juice
If we keep on like we doing things for sure
Will not be cool - It's a fact
We just ain't got sufficient fuel

There's only so much oil in the ground
Sooner or later there won't be none around
Alternate sources of power must be found
Cause there's only so much oil in the ground

There's only so much oil in the earth
It's a fact of life - for what it's worth
Something every little boy and girl should know since birth
That there's only so much oil in the earth

There's no excuse for our abuse
No excuse for our abuse
We just assume that we will not
Exceed the oil supply
But soon enough the world will watch the wells run dry

Problem Solved

The world just needs more groovy $#@!

LONDON

Greetings from this side of the pond :)

I am pleased with this shot I got around midnight at Piccadilly Circus. I am unsure of whether this was the second or the third night that I had the pleasure of wondering around London lit. Regardless, I have the folks in Amsterdam to thank!
The sign said it was 18 euros for three. I was caught off guard when the vendor presented me with a choice of White Willow or something else. I was feeling rushed and did not wish to opt for some bud that would kick my ass, so I opted for the White Willow, figuring it to be the mellower. Well, the last night in London, I wound up tossing the final portion of the last 'J' into the Thames. It was this past Saturday night, the place was hopping down along the Embankment and I was reeling. While I think I have finally paid off my sleep debt, yesterday was a slog. Upon getting back home I was greeted with a notice that I had been summoned for jury duty. I spent the whole day yesterday going through that thing like some rat in a lab.

Anyway, I did manage to get to the Borough market, WM. It was wonderful. It would not have helped if you had told me about it earlier. At least I don't think so. According to my Eyewitness Guide to London, the market (which has been in existence since 1276) it is still only open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays. Rich and I had lunch at a nice little restaurant under the tracks there called FISH. They had it set up so that you could see everything that went on in the cooking area. I always like that. Even if one is not a "foodie", it is nice that they set it up so that it is open to scrutiny by anyone. Truth be told though, I had previous read about a pub that Dickens mentioned in one of his works called The Anchor.












I had thought about visiting it a day or two before but it didn't fit our plans for that day. It turns out it was right in the vicinity of the Borough Market. I could not have anticipated this since I was not at all sure we would get to the market either. Had I realized it, I would probably have steered us there instead of FISH. Ah well. FISH was good and they have a great philosophy. They are big into buying local. They get all of their dairy products from Neal's Yard Dairy, which I believe you mentioned WM.











The trip was so fascinating. I learned so much. For example, while down around the Borough Market area, we ran across this museum.
I had always heard the expression 'getting tossed in the clink'. However, I had no idea that there was actually a jail called The Clink. Who knew?

London

Greetings from London,
I am sorry I haven't been able to keep you all up-to-date since leaving Poland, but Internet access aboard the ship was horrible. After wasting the afternoon running all over Copenhagen looking for a suitable WiFi, I decided that I was just going to enjoy the remainder of the trip and not waste anymore time chasing after Internet access.
Unfortunately, the auspicious start to our trip, with the lovely weather in Stockholm, did not bode well for our journey. Although they initially told us that the weather should improve in the next day or two, they abandoned that line fairly early into the cruise. Not only did the weather not improve, it got steadily worse as the cruise progressed. While we did get a sunny day in Tallin, Estonia, the wind was strong and cold(to make matters worse, I was not feeling well that particular day, so the wind really had me concerned and I was not in the best of spirits.) The wind was not as strong in Gdansk and it was not quite as cold, but it was windy and we had no sun and some rain. I liked Copenhagen a lot and actually enjoyed the hunt for the WiFi, but the highlight of the afternoon was the young blond who served me at Café Norden. He exhibited the confident friendliness and ease that only the very young and beautiful do. I gave him a nice tip; five Euros for not doing anything much other than smiling at me and letting me enjoy his baby-blue eyes. Berlin was a long trip by bus and the weather, again, was not good, more wind and rain. The excursion was 12 hours long. It was a three hour ride into Berlin and a three hour return trip. On the return, as we drew nearer to the coast, the wind really started howling. Not long after reboarding, the Captain fired up the engine and we began to push off to begin the next leg of the cruise, a passage through Germany's Kiel Canal. Well, about a half-hour later, we notice that there is a tug boat apparently push the ship's stern against the dock. We were trying to figure out why he was doing this when we shortly received an announcement from the Captain that, due to the bad weather, our departure would be delayed. When I woke up at 6:00am the following morning, we were still at the dock in Warnnemünde. This had me concerned. However, we launched shortly thereafter. Then, a couple of hour later we got the bad news. Due to the storm, there had been an inferno at the mouth of the Kiel Canal. Apparently, they keep large containers of paraffin store near the entry/exit. One or more of those had caught fire and they had to close the canal. Therefore, we were informed, the Captain had no alternative but to sail all the way around Denmark, putting us a day behind schedule.
As a result, we would arrive in Amsterdam a day late and, following our visit there, sail directly for Dover missing Bruges altogether. What luck!
Well, it has been a long strange trip, but it wasn't all bad. It was still fascinating to see all the great places. I DID walk around Amsterdam pretty well stoned all Sunday afternoon. I had not figured I would actually buy any weed or eat any of the baked goods, but there I was Sunday morning eating one of their famous pot muffins. "Space Muffins" they call them. They had "Space Muffins", "Space Brownies", "Space This", "Space That". They even have shops that blatantly advertise that they sell magic mushrooms. I passed on those. If I had had more time ....
I just had the best meal I have had in a long time, too. I had the good sense to ask the concierge for a recommendation for a good place to get curry and he made us a reservation at a place called Tamarai. If you ever come to London and you want curry, you must eat at this place. It was fantastic.

Gdansk

Greetings from Gdansk, Poland,

Sorry for so few posts so far , the shipboard Internet is a joke.

The stops have been nice and I have some good pictures. I only have a few minutes now so this will be short. I will have more time tomorrow in Copenhagen so I will try to catch up then.

Hope you all are doing well.

Ciao!

White Nights

WOW! Check out the view from our cabin veranda!

Wouldn't you know it? The sky finally has cleared as we depart St. Petersburg.
Isn't that sky stunning? I am listening to the title track from Charles Lloyd's Jumping The Creek. He is a semi-legendary jazz musician who records for a German label that has produced some very cutting-edge jazz and classical recordings over the years.

Kirov Rejects and a Jog Through the Hermitage

Hello from St.Petersburg.

I know I said I would try again to post the night before last night, but we back to the ship rather late and I was too tired. Same last night. We have been rather busy since getting here with two excursion per day.

The ballet was alright for a bunch of Kirov rejects. I overheard one woman say that she would have liked to go see the Kirov, but the tickets were $600. For that price I think I should get my way with my choice of ballerina.

Clear Ayes,
What was the name of that all male Ballet troupe from Monte Carlo? Was it Trocadero? They are from Monte Carlo, right?

We went to the Hermitage yesterday morning it was just the kind of museum visit I hate. Although it was three hours, the place is so big, that if we had set any quicker pace we would have been jogging. I was astounded when we stopped in a room that held Caravaggio's 'The Lute Player' and the guide was not going to bother even mentioning it. It caught my attention and after I took a look at it, a woman in our group asked the guide about it. The guide was very blasé. She said something to the effect of , "Oh yeah, there is a painting by Caravaggio over there." Then she quickly led everyone out of the room leaving no time for people to take a good look at it; which was pretty much the way it went the whole tour. Sigh. Ah well, I did take the time get get a good look at a few nice paintings, a Michelangelo sculpture and a couple by Rodan.

Last night we went to the Place of Catherine the Great for an imperial Evening of the Tsars. It was fun! We had the whole place to ourselves.

Scandinavian Skies

[Place picture holder here]

Well, the weather turned on us yesterday and we spent our last day in Stockholm under gray skies with moderate wind and rain. While it put a bit of a damper on things, it did not deter us altogether. Thankfully, we were scheduled for a bus tour so we were not out in it much at all. Unfortunately, the bad weather has affected the entire region and we had more of the same all the way to Helsinki. Consequently, we didn't get to enjoy seeing the Fins have fun in the sun the way we did the Swedes. Never-the-less, our day in Helsinki was terrific. Not only did we get to see the Orthodox church that I posted a picture of five or six weeks ago, but we also got to visit the monument erected in memory of Jean Sibelius.
The weather is supposed to be the same tomorrow and we have two tours; The Highlights of St. Petersburg in the morning and An Evening of Russian Ballet (Swan Lake). The first one is by bus and the other is indoors, so the weather will not impact them. I just would like a little sun so that I can take better pictures. We will be getting back fairly late, but I will try to post. I do not want to put it off until the next day because we have two excursions that day as well: The Hermitage in the morning and A Grand Imperial Evening of the Tsars. Saturday morning we go to visit the Grand Palace of Peter The Great - Peterhof. So, I am going to be quite busy until Saturday afternoon. Like I said, I will do my best to post nightly.

Sorry no picture. I will try again tomorrow, but this slow ship connection is just eating up my minutes trying to post the picture.

Regards,
PMT

Good Luck, Bad Luck and Mandelpotatis

Residents and guests of Stockholm enjoy the nice weather during the 2009 Stockholm Marathon.

Last night, I decided we must have brunch at this gay restaurant that I read about, named Intakt. On Sundays they serve a late brunch, so it sounded perfect. I even read their menu on their website and knew just what I planned to order: Herring with Lingonberries and potatoes. I wanted this because it seemed particularly Swedish.
Well, I had already figured out the Metro enough to know the way to the vicinity of the restaurang (that's the Swedish spelling, btw) and figured I could just ask someone once we were close. Wouldn't you know it, of the many people I asked who were working in the area, nobody had heard of it. After about 45-minutes of wandering around I finally found it right within sight of the main street ... and they were closed. Apparently they are in the midst of moving to a new location nearby. Since I was in the mood for fisk (again Swedish spelling) we decided not to eat at some other restaurang in the area and headed back to eat in the restaurang at our hotel. We had eaten there the night before and it was quite tasty. They also had fried herrings with lingonberries and potato puree on the menu, so at least I got what I wanted to eat for lunch. Well, no luck on the gay restaraung, but good luck on the meal. Also, at the start of the hunt for Intakt, the first person I asked about it (a young woman cashier at the Espress0 House) asked if we were tourists and then informed us that we were quite lucky to come when we did since the weather was so nice. Apparently, it was very cold here just last week. I am very happy that our timing was auspicious. It would be a totally different experience if it was really cold out.
Our mixed luck, continued with dinner. Once again, I was determined to eat at either a gay or gay-friendly restaurang. I picked this place on Gamla Stan that has been in existence since 1922 called Cattelins. Once again, I consulted their menu online and knew what I wanted to have for dinner. I was planning to start with Carpaccio of Elk with Parmesan, Ruccola, Olive Oil and then, since we ate lunch so late, Rich and I were going to split an order of Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes served with Cream Ridge/ Lingon Berry Jam. Having decided all that I then noticed that their website said they were closed on Sundays :(
Ah, but then I noticed that the site was out of date and that it had their winter hours listed. So I gave them a call and sure enough they were open. They guy told me we did not need a reservation, we could just come on over. Well, once we stepped out of the Metro station nearest the restaurang, we saw a another restaurang flying a gay flag, so we asked a gentleman sitting out front if he knew where Cattelins was. He did. Thankfully, unlike our hunt for the late brunch place, we found Cattelins, fairly soon. But wouldn't you know it, THEY WERE CLOSED. The guy there told us that the chef had a family emergency and had to leave. The restaurang thang was just not happening today.
It worked out okay, though. We just headed backed to the place where we asked the guy for directions. It is called Torget. Rich had what they called a Seafood Casserole, but was actually a stew and I had a lovely Lightly Salted Cod with Potatoes.

They are very big on potatoes here in Sweden. Late last night, I raided the mini bar and discovered these wonderful potato chips that are made from little potatoes called, 'Mandelpotatis'. The name literally means, 'Almond Potatoes'. They grow them in the northernmost county of Seden called Norrbotten. The extreme cold from the long winters keeps them free from harmful bacteria and the midnight sun during the summer matures them to perfection. I asked my waiter if all the potatoes that they serve at the restaurants in Stockholm come from Norrbotten and he said "no". That they grow them all over Sweden. He didn't really seem very well informed about the 'Mandelpotatis'in particular.

Logga In

Apparently here in Sweden, one does not merely 'log in', one must LOGGA IN. It also appears that a password is called a Lösenord. That sounds like something which might entail a scary visit to the doctor's office.

Speaking of scary, either late tonight or early tomorrow, our luggage is supposed to arrive. Damn I hate Delta.

It turns out that we happen to have arrived on the day of the Stockholm Marathon. So naturally all the riff-raff (and, perhaps, even a few of the landed gentry) have turned out to egg them on. Being the suspicious bastard that I am, I cannot help but wonder who amongst the crowd are laying odds that freckled-dick Björn is going to be the first one to drop.

Ground Control to (Pilot) Major Tom(PMT)...Commencing countdown, engines on....4...3...2...1...Earth below you...

Now is the time for the excitement to build...ours along with yours. The day of leaving is upon us and I wanted to send you off properly. Have a wonderful, exciting, fun, stimulating, tasty and visually inspiring time...blog us some photos if you can as we eagerly await a share in your fun.

Busy times

It looks like we've all been busy with "real life" around here. Just enough time to check in for a few minutes here and there around the corner, but not enough time to do any real thinking for this blog.

I don't know about you, but a break from "pondering" can often be a welcome relief. Thought provoking stuff will come up tomorrow or the next day.

Our first concert last night went well. Since it was a Thursday evening, the attendance was not as good as our Sunday concert will be. Although it is undoubtedly not PC, my favorite song in the program is "Waitin' For The Robert E. Lee". It is very harmonious, peppy and syncopated. Our director is a lovely lady who apparently has no conception of the political history of the song. She just loves to play it on the piano and the way it sounds when we sing it.

WM, I see you are being prayed for. I hope our positive thoughts and good wishes will work as well. Venting here will at least help to get your frustrations off your chest. When you have time, let us know how it is going.

PMT, Just a few more days until you are "up, up and away". It will please us greatly if you have a few minutes here and there to post and let us know where you are and what you are up to. You spend the money and we'll get in on the fun. Sounds like a winner to me.

WH, Is the hay harvest done yet? It seems to me I have seen paintings and heard old "Hey, nonnie, nonnie" type songs about the frolicking that goes on when folks are a-haying. Any truth to the bucolic image, as shown in Summer, Haying at Jones Inn, by George Henry Durrie?

BIG Slussen project

Thanks for the info guys. It is good to hear that C.C. is not quitting her blog or having any serious health issues.

WH,
That is correct. We have nine days remaining. Rich and I leave a week from this Friday and we will arrive in Stockholm the following Saturday. We will be there for two nights before boarding our ship. We are very excited about it. Now, if we can just get the little blind dog to stop tearing all of her hair out. We had a blood test done and found that she is allergic to many things that we had been feeding her. At first that appeared to solve her problem, but then she started up again. It is a good thing our baby sitter is a nurse.

Clear Ayes,
I guess you must be familiar with the Slussen area of Stockholm. Had you heard about this project to redo it. It sounds like a massive undertaking. Hopefully it will not turn out to be their version of the Big Dig.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Is David Bowie the only one singing about changes? What did I miss....or did I? Just because a person is private and doesn't want to talk about their personal business does that mean that a change is necessarily bad? I'm so confused.

Strange Days

I promised you an interesting story and here it is. It is a little long for one post, so I'll finish it up in the comments section.

In early 1953 my parents sat me down and made an announcement. We were going to move to Canada. They tried to make it sound like it would be a wonderful adventure, but I could tell that they were unhappy and worried. I was just 10 years old and they kept so much from me, but here is what I knew at the time. It is about what can happen to people who were a little too naive and trusting of the government….of course, it couldn’t happen now….yeah, right!

My mother was born in Canada and moved to Chicago as a young girl. Because her father was a naturalized American citizen she always assumed that she was a citizen too. When she was old enough, she voted...Democrat, of course! Being from a long line of community activists, she, along with her brothers and sister, was involved in liberal labor organizations in the late 1930's. There was nothing illegal about the clubs and groups that she was interested in. Later on, in about 1950, after they were living in California both Mom and her sister found out from their brother who had been in the Navy, that they were actually not American citizens. They wanted to correct this and applied for citizenship.

As you may remember, there was something else going on in the United States at this time. The Senate Committee on Government Operations, headed by that lovable dickens, Senator Joseph McCarthy, was in full swing. The Congress was equally busy with the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Now we can look back in amazement (or not..Hang ‘em WM!) that McCarthy in the Senate, and his associates on the House committee, subpoenaed hundreds of people and, on threat of loosing their jobs or being imprisoned, they were questioned about whether or not they associated with anyone who was a Communist AND they were required to name names. It was a frightening time and many people turned against their friends and neighbors to protect themselves.

Mysterious Sonic Landscape

"CA: Was that an inside joke between you and PMT? Stop packing what? (I'm trying to draw him out.)"
"I hope you can pull off the travelogue thing on the blog during your trip and allow us to accompany you vicariously. If you happen to be feeling rich during the trip, pictures of that are optional."
WH, you are incorrigible! Well, it worked .. if only for the moment.
Is the jacket you are wearing in your picture made from the fleece of your own sheep?

"I just have a feeling that PMT is very careful when choosing his vacation wardrobe."
Yep. Strictly leather teddies for me. Honestly, I don't know shit about fashion. Frankly, I have always felt the fashion industry was rather jive. That being said, I wouldn't mind seeing the next fall lineup of 'Commando-Wear'.

"I think I mentioned before that although it is spelled temari, it is pronounced te-ma-di"
It did not occur to me until just the other day that I actually made one of those balls. It was at a tea ceremony in Seoul. Obviously, it was not just a tea ceremony.
For the part of it that was a tea ceremony, the nuns explained the details regarding how they prepare the tea. They made a point of not pouring boiling hot water onto the tea leaves. It should be very hot, but not boiling. They poured enough water over the leaves to wet them well, but not drown them. Then they let them sit for a couple of minutes to allow the leaves to respond by giving off their natural oils. Finally, they poured the bulk of the water over them and let them steep. I have since brewed my tea in the same manner. As I said, though, it was not simply a tea ceremony.
We had a Q&A session with a monk regarding the nature of Buddhism, as practiced at that monastery, and we also made those decorative balls. However, it is only fair to say that ours were nowhere near as fancy as the ones in the pictures that Clear Ayes linked. In fact, to say that ours were anything beyond basic would be to exaggerate. Never-the-less, the damned things adorned the ship on the way back to China.

"Yet, they don't seem to get it, that the virus has evolved/mutated from an older strain."
My better half (who is a retired Special Agent with the FBI, no less) has said that I am the most cynical person that he has ever known. Perhaps this is why I don't trust Bill Maher. However, I do agree with him on several issues. One of which is the 'dis-ease' maintenance industry. Never-the-less, he seems to be straddling the fence in terms of what corporate America wants. Whenever I hear anything that any pundit has to say, I cannot help but ask ... who is paying for this verbiage? And just what is their agenda?

WM,
I am sorry to hear about the complications regarding your mother. I hope things can be resolved in the best way possible for all concerned.

New California Tax Base?

Here is something fun to discuss...The Governator is seriously considering decriminalizing the silly weed Ca. and controlling and taxing it. It could, apparently, raise upwards of 1billion $$$ in taxes for us. It would also clear out a lot of space in ourprisons for peoplethat actually commit serious crimes. I'm thinking that if this passes, a recent poll showed 56% of Californians favor this move, then OR and WA may follow. It could begin a move to pull out vineyards up and down the coast to make room for "mari-joe-juana"'...all very interesting. It seems that the major part of the drug issues with Mexico is the M weed and that legalizing it could seriously cut down on the border crime wave. Good ole Ca. Now if we can just clear up that same sex marriage issue we could become a very cool state to live in...oh yeah...and that smog thing, the traffic gridlock, the wildfires in the summer, the drought issue, the winter mudslides and the earthquake thing...okay...maybe I need to rethink this Golden State thing...Fog...fog is good...

The Invisible Woman

This is going to be me for a bit. I just got a call from my mother's surgeon that there is a compli-

cation that will postpone her surgery for another 1-2 months...I now have to call and let her know this.

After her recent outbursts in the Dr.'s office, the Dr. doesn't want to be the one to tell her. It falls to me, this evening.

My life is going to get more complicated in the next few months and I doubt that I will have much posting time, although it just might be a good place to let off steam...you know...that hang 'em high stuff.

SO...wishing PMT a lovely vacation...CA...keep drawing...WH...keep being you and do stop in here...I really don't know, at the moment, how things will work out. WM

You Say Tomato And I Say Te-ma-di

I think I mentioned before that although it is spelled temari, it is pronounced te-ma-di. At least I have it on the authority of a traditional temari instructor, who is a stickler for correctness in all things temari. This photo is of my first effort and I am planning on taking one more class. There are several how-to books available online, so after that? Besides, aren't we in an economic crisis? Husband and I aren't in a super-squeezed position...yet, but who knows what the future will bring. Spending $50.00 for a class to learn how to wind thread around and "needled through" a rice husk ball seems a little extravagant to me. Did I tell you that one skein of imported silk temari thread is $5.00? Three colors are a minimum, so if I did the math, which BTW I try not to, (if God wanted us to do math, he wouldn't have allowed calculators to be invented!) that would be $15.00 just for thread. But I did have fun making the darn thing. I was thinking that I could utilize a few temari balls as Christmas tree ornaments. On the other hand, I really don't need more "stuff". I quail at the thought of winding up like my brother-in-law who has thirty-plus boxes of handblown imported ornaments and has to have two Christmas trees in order to display them all. That wouldn't be so bad, but he is 65 years old and it is getting more difficult for a guy with arthritis to crawl around the attic rounding up boxes of decorations he should probably never have collected in the first place . At least temari balls aren't breakable.

Speaking of God (Yes, I was.) I was watching Bill Maher the other night and he made what I thought was a interesting point. He was talking about H1N1, formerly Swine Flu and now to be called heinie (?) His point was that anti-evolutionary creationists are as much in favor of new strain flu meds like Tamiflu as the non-believers. Yet, they don't seem to get it, that the virus has evolved/mutated from an older strain. I guess they believe that God just created a new virus out of thin air.

Pining For The Fjords / Scarcity

One month from today I will be leaving for Northern Europe. This means that I have a lot of things to take care of between now and then. Therefore, I will be spending less and less time both here and around the corner. Though it doesn't have to, this blog can remain idle. Do not feel obliged to post. However, you are all free to post to your heart's desire, if that is your wish. I intend to take a good camera and my notebook with me so that, while there, I can do my best to turn NextWordCorner into a 'travelblog', at least in part. I make no promises, however, since I cannot be sure of the quality or dependability of the technology to which I will have access.

Warm Bodies

Joe Locke and Trio Da Paz (Romero Lubambo, Nilson Matta, Duduka Da Fonseca), live at JazzBaltica, Germany - July 01, 2007.

" American jazz, while I'm sure it is still popular in Europe doesn't have the cachet it once did."
Jazz doesn't have the cachet it once did in Europe? Au contraire, jazz is still immensely popular all over the world (with the shameful exception of its birthplace). I give the Europeans much more credit than that. This little gem proves it.

Is This a Lot of Bull?

Since we had recently talked about the art of Lascaux I thought that this was an interesting adjunct. The impressive fellow in the top photo is a "Heck" bull, a herd of which has just recently been brought to England for study. They are the closest living creature to the Aurochs that are painted on the walls of Lascaux. Aurochs, as a breed died out centuries ago, and these animals are apparently a result of "back-breeding" with the most ancient cattle breeds in Europe...the kicker is that this was a pursuit initiated by Hermann Goering(pardon any spelling mistakes there) who wanted to re-create some Aryan Eden. Two brothers by the name of Heck were hired to scour Europe for the most ancient breeds they could find...including the lovely, shaggy red Highland coo(cow). There is also quite a bit that is still unkown , or at least in question, about the techniques that they used to ultimately re-create this breed. But, decades later, here is now the closest living relative to the animals, long dead, who were painted in the caves of Lascaux.

This is not necessarily by way of opening any particular discussion...I just thought that we were in need of a new place to start and this article caught my imagination...art imitating life imitating art...kind of cool.

Make of it what you will...off to paint.

My turn?

Good news! The crisis seems to be ebbing. Now all that remains is a few days of existential questioning that could be summed up (and possibly expedited) in asking, "and just why the fuck do I do this?", and then a dash of the "healing effect of time", and a tablespoon or two of " it could be worse", and I'll be good as new. Except I'm a week older.

Before I begin, a couple of housekeeping items.

PMT: I asked you a question on the previous thread.

To all, esp. WM & CA:
After several weeks, I finally got you. My "art" question earlier was a bit of a joke, a gentle poke at the earnestness of the high vs. Crude discussion. Your answers were pretty much what I expected, but naturally, disappointing for a voyeuristic SOB such as I am. So there.

The Wendell Berry thing failed to fire or is still incubating. No problem. I have a couple of pieces of suggested reading I'd like to direct you to.
The first is related to some questions and observations I have made re: religion and culture, especially political culture. A question I have been trying to illuminate for several years and concentrating on in my reading is why religious people behave as they do, which is to say in exact opposition to the ideals they profess. There was an essay in Sunday's paper by David Brooks (NYT columnist). It's probably headlined differently in local papers, but the first sentence is : Socrates talked. Try to find and read it.

Second, there is a book review in the April 15 New Republic titled The Collector. It contains some interesting ideas that are relevant to both your art discussion and my frustrating pursuit of a life of the mind integrated with a peasant vocation.

Could we return to our roots for a while? My head needs feeding.
I hope this looks better (in terms of formatting) on the blog than it does to me. I'm still unschooled.
Windhover, looking to the light.

Talk About Smart

Sky Choi, 12, reacts to a correct answer as he finishes his homework in the library at Florida International University before class.

(Lou Toman, Sun Sentinel / April 13, 2009)

Stumped by your daily crossword puzzle? Feeling sub-par in the intelligence category? Well, if you are not feeling bad enough already, here's a little item that will make you feel downright dumb.
...............................................................................................

Miami - Dana Choi drops off her 12-year-old son, Sky Choi, at school every morning, but is not allowed to set foot on campus for fear of embarrassing him.

The curb is the dividing line. On one side is Sky, the kid from Pembroke Pines who loves video games, tae kwon do and pingpong. On the other side is Sky Choi, the Florida International University physics and math major who started a nonprofit organization to send care packages to Iraqi immigrant children.

"I'm not allowed to step on campus," Dana Choi, an attorney, explains from just beyond the curb.

"Yeah. Bye," Sky retorts.

Sky is considered profoundly gifted, meaning he scores higher than 99.9 percent of the population on IQ and achievement tests. He tested and displayed an IQ higher than the 160 maximum on most accepted intelligence tests. [more]

Where Am I?

Where am I? Or maybe it is, where are you?

It is easy to get lost on this eclectic blog. Either everyone is posting all at once, or we get busy (or sleepy) in real life and don't show up for a while.

As to which thread or entry to post on, the easiest solution, and the one I'm going to use, is to just to post on the latest entry. Even if I am going to respond to a subject that was brought up a few days ago, I'll use the entry at the top of the page to have my say. So, when PMT makes another comment about "truth in art" (you know he will!), he won't go back to the original entry, he'll just post at the most current one, with maybe a reference to what he is expanding on or responding to. Then again maybe he will just post with a new heading and THAT one will become the most current. Are we confused yet?

Anyway, that seems to be the easiest way to keep current without bouncing back and forth between headings. If anybody is around, you can check in at the latest entry and maybe you'll get a response. But then again, maybe not, at least for a while.

Assholes

Can you believe these fucking assholes? Incredible! I'd like to be able to email this clip to Obama while he's meeting with the Latin American leaders down in Trinidad this weekend. If these protesters love Mexico so much, why the hell don't they go back there? GRRRrrrrrrrrrrr

OK, now that I got that off my chest, here is what I was originally going to post:

"I have a top 40 ( which is probably in reality about a top 110) that spans 50 years, and I know who did it and who wrote it and what other bands they were in, ad nauseum."
I hear you there, man. When I was a teenager and first getting into jazz in a real way, I quickly became aware that in jazz, it wasn't about band like it was in rock and roll. Sure there were great jazz bands back in the day and there were a few during my teenage years, as there are now. But it was still markedly different. Over the remaining days of my secondary schooling, I turned myself onto so much great stuff just by picking up recordings by people I had never heard of simply because there was someone else playing on the album that I knew was a great musician. Case in point: The debut album by Spyro Gyra. Unbeknownst to me, these guys were monsters musicians. I only bought their LP because I saw that the Brecker Brothers were on it. While, granted, these guys were hired guns out of NYC, I still figured that anybody willing to pay triple-union-scale for their services must recognize their value and, more importantly, must actually need players of their caliber for the work at hand. Check out the Brecker Bros. playing Funky Sea, Funky Dew at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Be sure to read the comments. They are hilarious regarding bass player Neil Jason's garb. This was one tough jam. Be sure to check out part two, it's the real $#@!
WH, use the YouTube App on your iPhone to search for "Brecker Brothers - Funky Sea, Funky Dew (Part 1)". Afterward, search for Part 2.

"If you're 63, curious, and a decent memory, such as 564-3416, my high school girlfriend's #, I haven't seen her since 1973, you're going to have stories"
WH, should we be concerned about you?

Atkins had some serious chops (somewhat of an exception amongst the Nashville scene, Boots Randolph being another) Clapton and Hendrix are both vastly over-rated. Clapton, at least, has lived long enough to be afforded the opportunity to candidly admit that he was, ".... just trying to imitate BB King". I once burned a hooter on Jimi's grave with some friends ... shhhh!

"a Bourbon and water"
I once read something on a bar bathroom wall just south of Havre, MT that started, "You know you're in Montana when ..." One of the prerequisites was, "When someone orders a ditch."
A ditch is whiskey (most likely Bourbon) and water.

I guess I am sorry about your neighbor. But mostly I am sorry for you having to deal with that $#@!

I just had an epiphany: Rock and Roll is a well (or, not-so-well) conceived blend of polyphony and cacophony. Figure that one out!

"tiny keyboard in the iPhone will often "suggest" a word in place of the word you have typed. If you do not reject the suggestion, it will make the substitution."
Yes, it does and I think that it is designed backwards in that respect. You should have to tell it to make the substitution.

Jeannie,
I tried to figure out a way to make this blog more manageable. My first thought was that it would be good to have a daily post that could provide some structure. I realized, though, that this was not like C.C's blog. Her blog has a 'de facto' structure to it. There is one LAT XW each day, she posts her comment regarding it and that is the only post for that day. All the others are 'comments'. When I created this blog I knew nothing about Blogger.com. I conceived of it as a place where anybody from over there could come to elaborate upon any discussions that took place over there. I had hoped that this would be a totally open forum for those who wished to make use of it. Unfortunately, this is not like a 'threaded' BBS. On threaded bulletin board systems, topic can potentially be started by anyone and whichever topic gets the most recent response gets 'bumped' back to the top of the discussion list. The popular topics rise to the top, the unpopular ones fall out of sight. Due to the nature of the blogging format I am afraid I cannot offer a solution to the confusion problem other than to say what has already been said: Just post you message to one of the most current topics (quoting people, if necessary).

Oh, BTW, your recipe sounds delicious. I wonder, though, why hide the crumbled bacon? It seems to me that I would drape the poached eggs over the asparagus and then sprinkle on the the shredded Parmesan followed by the crumbled bacon.

Clear Ayes,
"I think the art discussion has pretty much been covered."
HAHAHAHAHA
You said that and then went on to cover it some more ... this subject is never dead.
"If what you see soothes, amuses, provokes thought, makes you cry or makes you angry, then it IS art."
Precisely. Again, let me remind everyone that my response to Lemonade was not an attempt to define 'What is art?'
BTW, how are the hives?

Jeannie, the horse affair sounds enviable.
How do you re-paint Lolita's bottom? I assume you haul her and I'm sure you don't do it without her mast being stepped. Do you have someone to help you with that? I was on this boat for 11 days last April.