Hungary Holocaust Memorial Day

Iron shoes are pictured on the bank of the Danube on January 27, 2012, marking the Holocaust in Hungary. Hundreds of Hungarian Jews had to leave their shoes on the bank before they were shot into the river by Hungarian militiamen during the World War II.

The United Nations declared in 2005 the Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 to commemorate the 6 million Jews and other victims murdered by the Nazis.

And so it goes.

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Random Restaurant Silliness

Those recent solar emissions must have had more of an effect on the humans of earth than anything else. 
Phone rings.

Me:  Good Afternoon, Dos Locos.
She: Oh, are you open?
Me:  No, actually I'm taking calls from home today. Of course, we're open!
She: Oh, well, will you be open at all this weekend?
(The restaurant is open 7 evenings a week and 5 days for lunch in the off season.)

Phone rings.

Me: Good Morning Dos Locos.
He: Will you be showing the Super Bowl on your big screens?
Me:  Of course - all 6 of them.
He:  I'd like to make a reservation for 6 for the Super Bowl.
Me:  I'm sorry, we don't take reservations for the bar and lounge.
He:  How am I supposed to see the Super Bowl without a reservation?
Me:  The way I see it, there are 2 choices; show up and take your chances like everyone else, or stay home where you're bound to find a good seat.
He:  That's not funny.  Let me speak to the manager.
Me:  This is he.  Any more questions?

Phone rings.

Me: Good Afternoon, Dos Locos.
She: What are your hours today?
Me:  We're open from 11:30 to 11.
L O N G  S I L E N C E
She:  So, you are only open for a half hour today?

(You cannot make this stuff up.)

NOTE: Remember, Rehoboth Beach, DE is known as "The Nation's Summer Capital" for many reasons.  Here's one.

Arrived this morning to find a reservation for Saturday evening in the name of a customer from Washington, DC. He works for a member of the House who happens to be extremely homophobic, therefore he isn't 'out'.  Not that he would need a neon sign, or anything. Ahem!
The request tag on the reservation states that he wants "only cute servers" to cover the party of 18.  All, no doubt, government staffers in good jobs and possibly similar situations.

Now, this is where I get angry. Who qualifies as a "cute" server? All of our servers are good looking, male and female, and some are knock-outs.  Depends on your taste, I suppose.
Why are these people working for those who spend their lives (and make lots of money) oppressing the LGBT community?  IMHO these types will get what they deserve sooner or later.  I am just grateful I don't have to be present when this party arrives.

I will make certain that their tables are set up in a festive (read GAY) manner -  I'm wondering if I ought to have colorful condoms rolled in the napkins with the flatware and beads.  Just kidding.

And so it goes.
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New Tires - Old Story

The new tires were mounted and balanced yesterday afternoon and when I saw the old ones, I was glad I made the purchase. I would never have seen the damage because it was mainly on the inside of the tire which means it would not have been detected until the tires were rotated.  That's how the dry-rot was discovered on Tuesday as the car was being serviced.

The new tires seem to make the ride smoother and the car handles better, unless it's my imagination.  It also offers a quieter ride, at least to my mind. I'm a happy camper - and I feel safer, too.

Of course, the old story is that the expense couldn't come at a worse time; with shorter work hours and the recent medical expense due to the sinus infection (I have no idea what the ER bill is going to be), I am a little deeper in the hole than I had hoped.

Needless to say, I used a card to pay the auto bill. I'll work out the payments next month when the statements arrive. The owner of the repair shop (and most of his staff) are regulars at the restaurant, so I was given a nice little discount, which was very kind and unexpected. A nice surprise, that.

Finished the antibiotic yesterday (Yay!) and feeling a little more energy every day.  The infection took its toll but now it's gone. Looking forward to getting back to work today - not to mention my first after shift cocktail in 10 days.

Have a craving for greens lately (don't ask!) and picked up a bunch of Kale and fresh spinach for dinners over the weekend. 

More later.
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BP Worker Fired Over Cleanup Data

The outrageous behavior continues, but only a few are listening: It's been almost 2 years since the BP Oil Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and while I am sure you've seen their slick ads touting their cleanup efforts and how it is perfectly safe to eat Gulf seafood (I see them at work but don't have to listen  - no sound on the TVs) all is not what BP says it is.

I'm wondering if anyone remembers what happened to the Gulf beginning in April 2010 and the destruction caused to the wildlife, marshes, and people by the greed, cover-up, and lies of the oil giant. Or, maybe no one cares anymore. From Courthouse News Service, January 24, 2012:

NEW ORLEANS (CN) - A leader in BP's oil spill cleanup claims the company fired him for refusing to change data so that BP could claim the cleanup phase was over and it could begin restoration, which a BP vice president told him "would have an upward impact on BP stock prices."
     August Walter sued BP America in Federal Court.
     "Walter began his employment with BP under its Gulf Coast Restoration Organization ('GCRO') with the position of State Planning Lead for the purpose of developing a descriptive plan to accomplish the cleaning of oil caused by the BP oil spill in April 2010," according to the complaint.
     He claims BP fired him on Nov. 9, 2011, the day the company announced that it had cleaned up the Gulf Coast and was moving into the "restoration" phase of cleanup.
     Walter says BP's cleanup plans had to be approved by the U.S. Coast Guard's Federal On-Scene Coordinator, and comply with federal and state environmental laws and regulations. He says BP's Shoreline Treatment Recommendations (STRs) also had to comply with the laws and be approved by the Coast Guard coordinator.
     However, Walter says: "BP refused to follow the STRs and Walter opposed BP's refusal to comply. Ultimately BP demanded that Walter misrepresent clean-up data to get approval from the unified command to Legacy Coast Guard management."
     Walter says the misrepresented data was meant to mislead Coast Guard officials into believing that the cleanup in Mississippi was nearly complete.
     "Walter opposed this action and advised BP management and Unified Command of the problem. Walter was terminated shortly thereafter for a pretextual reason," according to the complaint.
     BP's cleanup requires Coast Guard approval because BP shares responsibility for the cleanup with the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard holds 51 percent responsibility for the cleanup, BP 49 percent, according to the complaint.

Read that last sentence again.  Yes, this means that 51% of the responsibility falls to the Coast Guard - meaning we, the American taxpayer.  Think about that.

Now go and read the rest of the complaint HERE.

And so it goes.
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Soloist vs. Ringing Cell Phone

A while back I posted a piece about a performance of Mahler's 9th being interrupted because of a ringing cellphone.  I also recalled times I witnessed similar situations in Broadway theaters, but this one is simply priceless.

This violinist, playing a bit of Bach to an obviously "select" group, does his own, tasteful take on the situation and I am hopeful the offender was suitably embarrassed - never to be invited to such a concert again.

A class act, but did he finish the Bach piece? Not likely.

I'm no prude, but when I spend $100. for a Broadway show, or even just $10 to see a movie, I want to get lost in the experience for the allotted time; not be brought back to reality too soon or have the performance interrupted because of selfish people like this - who should stay home and rent the show or movie on DVD for viewing while they chat on the phone.

I stopped going to the movies here simply because flashing a slide on the big screen asking that patrons turn off all electronic devices doesn't cut it and there are no ushers to police the theatres for violators. 

How long before this kind of obnoxious behavior causes violence? Some humans should not be allowed to breed - or breathe!

And so it goes, again.
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How I Feel Right Now

Another step forward, then two steps back.

The good news:  Took the car in at 8 am for the 24K mile service.  Oil change, filters, belts, etc. checked and changed as necessary. New wiper blades and the tires rotated and balanced.

The bad news:  The tires are terribly dry-rotted and must be replaced.  Two are in very dangerous condition. It was suggested that I drive as little as possible for now. A set of new tires was chosen, ordered, and will be installed tomorrow afternoon.  Today, I wish I had a magic carpet, you know, no wheels!

Needless to say, the other items and stops on my to-do list are cancelled and only the laundry will get done this afternoon.  That's good enough.

I won't be ordering any books or purchasing meats & cheeses for a Muffuletta sandwich any time soon. The tires and service will cost a hefty amount, though I won't find out the total until tomorrow.  They plan to put it all on one bill, makes it easier that way. Of course, this is sending me right off the edge of a cliff, financially. No more, please!

But it needs to be done.  I can't complain, the car is 7 years old (I've had it since 2007) and those are the original tires.  With as little mileage as I have on the car I guess the tires ought to have lasted longer but, it isn't garaged, and life on the street subject to the elements takes its toll.

Besides, it is what it is.

The weather is gloriously warm today and the sun just came out after 2 days of rain. I may just grab the camera and head down to the beach for a few pictures to take my mind off these things.

Update:  Tomorrow is the LAST day of antibiotics and I've been promised a big surprise after my shift on Thursday.  Gee, I wonder what that might be?  Hmmm.

And so it goes.
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Day Off: To-Do list

Right out of the box there is an appointment to take the flying carpet, 'er car in for routine maintenance; oil change, filters, tires rotated, etc.  This is long overdue and the first thing on the gay agenda.

Next is a visit to Staples for a few supplies, and while in that center, the purchase of a couple of wedges of cheese needed for upcoming recipes.  Following that is a short stop at the supermarket for a very few items that I've run out of.

Then back in town to the book store to place an order and a quick stop at Taste of Italy for the meats and cheeses necessary to make Muffuletta sandwiches.  Yes, I am in the craving mode again. BTW, my home-made Muffuletta Olive Salad written about 2 weeks ago, aged nicely and turned out better than expected.  Great flavors with a tangy zip, as well.  Probably why I'm in the crave mode again!

Back home I'll get some laundry done and perhaps do a little cooking for next week.

Whew!  I haven't left the apartment yet, and I am already exhausted.  It sounds like more than it actually will be.  I should be back in town by around noon-time.

Anyhoo, that's the plan.

More later.
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Giant Solar Storm Sends Particles at Earth at 4.5 Million mph

Just in case your life is suddenly interrupted tomorrow morning, you will know the reason why...

The largest solar storm in seven years is expected to peak tomorrow, threatening GPS signals and the electrical grid.

The cloud of particles streaming from the sun is headed for the Earth at 4.5 million mph and is set to hit us at around 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow. The faster the radiation travels, the harder it will hit as it bounces around the Earth's magnetic field.
The geomagnetic activity depicted in the image above occurred on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST.

And. There. Is. Nothing. We. Can. Do. About. It.  How small do you feel now?


And so it goes.
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Robo-Calls & Sinus Stress

Seventh day into the antibiotic and I am finally feeling the difference.  The head is clearer, the sinus cavities are pain-free, no trace of blood, and I feel energy returning to this tired, old body. It just doesn't heal as quickly as it did when I was younger.

Taking no chances, I've driven to work every day this week. It's been raining and/or cold and it was just easier all round. Work and customers have been a welcome diversion and without clogged sinuses, more pleasant as well. A great way to pass the days taking the drug and not thinking too much about anything stressful or unpleasant.

And, no, I will not list those things because that would only cause stress.  Duh!

On the subject of stress; the home phone rang last night at 11:30 pm, long after I had gone to sleep. Now, no one wants to receive a phone call at that, or any later hour of the night, so I looked at the clock, turned on the light and cautiously answered the call - expecting the worst.

Would you believe me if I told you it was a recorded robo-dialer asking me to bring all of my old gold jewelry to some hotel on Monday to make some 'real' money.  Ya know, you just can't make this stuff up.  I hung up and started to laugh uncontrollably as I sat on the edge of the bed feeling like a fool.  Needless to say, it was not easy to get back to sleep after such an incident.

I mean, the nerve to set the timer of a robo-dialer to such a late hour - there may be angry insomniacs lying in wait at that hotel on Monday.  I'll check the newspapers and let you know. 

Looking back, it really seems a very clever idea, since I think most people fear late night calls and are more likely to pick up the call rather than let it go to voice-mail.  That said, I'd still like to strangle the bastard who thought it up.

Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy (?) a stiff iced water while preparing supper.  All bets are off for the rest of the evening.  Sigh!

And so it goes.
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The Met's New Gallery with "Washington Crossing the Delaware"

A controversial, (some hate it while others love it) though iconic painting is the star of the new gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I paid my respects to this mammoth painting in the 70s  while it was the crown jewel of the Washington Crossing Museum in Pennsylvania. I was struck by the size of the thing, paid no attention to any flaws that only the art-elite had noticed, and didn't care. I thought it pompous and just right for its time. Anyway, an interesting story and I thought I'd share.

It was quietly dismantled at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art by staff who didn't like it, shuttled around the country for years, and held hostage in Pennsylvania by a woman who really liked it. Starting this week, Emanuel Leutze's iconic "Washington Crossing the Delaware," once the Met's redheaded stepchild, is back as a star.
Leutze's ode to the U.S. revolution now anchors the third and last addition to the museum's $100 million, 10-years-in-the-making American arts wing. It's a far cry from being kept in a small side gallery or eagerly sent on loan across the country, as it had been by the Met for more than 100 years. Since Monday, visitors can enter the New American Wing Galleries for Paintings, Sculpture and Decorative Arts -- 26 new Beaux Arts-style rooms lit by the sun -- at what wing director Morrison Heckscher calls "the 50-yard line." Leutze's painting ("the goal post") sits 150 feet west at the end of a clear sight line past high-coved rooms, made to look the way Americans would have seen it in 1864.
It wasn't always this way between the Met and its famous charge. Indeed, the museum's 48-page Leutze-centric issue of its quarterly bulletin (which visitors can and should get their hands on) reads more like a case file for a brilliant but difficult foster child than the story of a prized work of art.
From the moment Leutze's operatic panorama entered the Met's holdings in 1897 as a gift from philanthropist John Stewart Kennedy, the museum struggled with whether to display it at all. Though the painting was popular with crowds, it wasn't considered great art. It is rife with historical and physical inaccuracies (so much so, an artist was commissioned to correct it last fall). Plus the work is too large to ignore or easily get rid of. At 12 by 21 feet, the 1851 canvas could easily shade a pair of midsize Hummers parked side by side. Its surface area exceeds that of all other works in the museum's American collection, and (not unlike a Hummer's size) is both why people love it and hate it.

The rest of the fascinating story is HERE, which also contains a slide show.

And so it goes.
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A Harper Lee Caturday

Uh-uh, no apologies from me. I love it.

More later.
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Etta James, Johnny Otis: RIP

Saw the shocking news this morning without sound on the big 60" flat screen at the restaurant, and although she had been fighting one demon or another all her life, it was leukemia that brought her down. Still it was a hard reality to take in.

Everyone knows her signature song "At Last" but I like another one, a raunchy honky-tonk tune titled "WALLFLOWER" subtitled: (and best known as) "Roll With Me Henry" - ahem! Do I have to draw a picture?  The song was later cleaned up for the white folks and presented as "Dance With Me Henry" by none other than (brace yourself) the extremely white Gisele MacKenzie. You can look it up for laughs.

Thanks for all the good times and music, Momma. 

Etta's death comes a day after that of another R&B legend Johnny Otis. A white guy who loved black culture and music is probably most famous for "Willie and the Hand Jive."

If you liked to dance, or just move, his music made you do whatever you wanted to do. And you did it without apologies.

Etta was 73. Otis was 90. Great talent and good, long lives. Y'all go and rest now.

And so it goes.
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