On Transmigration

Beignets, Baby: New Orleans HIstory

2012-02-02T06:55:00.001-05:00

I can smell and taste them now. From the Times-Picayune:

Beignets are a Crescent City staple. A visit to the French Quarter calls for a stop at Cafe du Monde for cafe au lait (coffee and chicory mixed half and half with hot milk) and a serving of three beignets, the melt-in-your-mouth square French doughnuts served fresh out of the fryer with enough powdered sugar to keep a sugar plantation in business.
With the sounds of a saxophone floating in from the sidewalk and a view of Jackson Square across Decatur Street, it’s a perfect place to sit outside under the green- and white-striped canopy and watch people. Inside, under the great high ceiling, is fine for people-watching, too.
Customers have been breathing in the sweet smell of beignets at Cafe du Monde since 1862, when it opened in the upper end of the French Market. Eight years later, Morning Call opened at the lower end, and for more than a century the two coffee stands stood like French Market bookends. In 1974, Morning Call moved to Metairie, where it is still serving traditional beignets and cafe au lait.
Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours a day every day except Christmas and on days when “the occasional hurricane passes too close to New Orleans.”
It closed in the spring of 2001 because of a kitchen fire in an exhaust duct. Employees doused the flames with fire extinguishers and prevented the fire from spreading, and then grabbed posters and old photographs from the walls and hurried out of the building as firefighters hurried in. Repairs were done quickly, and waiters welcomed customers back one week later.
Cafe du Monde also closed on Aug. 27, 2005, as Hurricane Katrina was taking aim at New Orleans. It had only minor damage, but was dark for nearly two months when the city was at a near standstill. When it reopened Oct. 19, there was a line of hungry people waiting to get in.
It now has a number of other locations in the New Orleans area, and in addition to Cafe du Monde and Morning Call, a few other places feature beignets on the menu. One is at Louis Armstrong International Airport. Twice during the mail-borne anthrax scare of 2001, the airport’s hazmat team was called out to inspect a powdery residue reported by travelers. Both times that white residue proved to be leftover powdered sugar from someone’s beignet.

I have tried to make them, but somehow they are never as light and tasty as those at Cafe du Monde. Now I will be dreaming about these all day at work. Bother!

More later.
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Today's Gay Agenda

2012-02-01T17:45:00.003-05:00

Remember this!

Lazy day.
Took advantage of the peace and quiet.
Rain fizzled and ended early.
Worked on tax stuff - awaiting 1 more form. (Bother!)
Did some cooking.
Sun appeared, sky cleared.
Temperature hit 66'F . Yes, it's February here, too!
Took a walk around town and to the ocean this afternoon.
Ocean was calm and the town very tranquil. Smiles everywhere.
Decided to give the new Cuisinart pan a workout.
Spicy chicken smothered with onions, new potatoes, mushrooms, olive oil, tonight.
Cared for the house plants - one needs re-potting soon.
No phone calls to either phone.
Ironed the festive work drag for the weekend.
Ready to get back to work in the morning.
Must decide between Olives and Wine for the evening cocktail.
Decisions, decisions!
That is all.

And so it goes.
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Road Trip and Discovered Treasure

2012-02-01T07:12:00.001-05:00

Tuesday was a picture-perfect day, so I hopped into the car and took the new tires for a spin. (The ride is definitely a smoother one.) Temperatures were in the 60s and it felt more like April than January. The car hadn't been driven a long distance in months, so I cruised down through Bethany Beach and into Fenwick Island before returning via a different route. Listening to Holly Near and James Taylor all the way.

I got lost for a bit, but ultimately found my bearings and enjoyed a few interesting sights along the way. Stopped to refuel in Millsboro and saved 50 Cents per gallon thanks to the fave grocery store's program.

Before returning home and never having visited the place, I decided to check out a relatively new store called "Home Goods" in Lewes - I think they are associated with the likes of T.J. Maxx, and Marshalls. It's a big store (the space used to be occupied by a Lowe's Home Center and then a furniture store) so I took my time and drifted from aisle to aisle, department to department and found interesting items; some at very good prices.

Though I promised myself that I would not buy anything, I did. So shoot me! I have been wanting a large covered skillet/saucepan for a very long time, and I chanced upon a Cuisinart 3.5 qt., 4" high-sided, stainless steel baby with a glass cover - on clearance, mind you - for $10.00!!! OK, now tell me you wouldn't have jumped at that one.

It was explained to me that the pan was on the clearance table because it was a discontinued style and the last of its kind. Whatever. I have a huge all purpose pan for smothering, braising, frying, and even roasting. I looked it over and could find no flaws in the piece and since the regular price was $50. I think it was a great deal. It was washed and made ready for a little Southern cooking this evening.

Worked on the taxes a bit yesterday afternoon, hope to finish up today and since the weather turned cloudy and rainy over night, I will be happy to play indoors today.

More later.
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BP Oil Spill Coverage Reappears

2012-01-31T15:15:00.000-05:00

American Zombie believes this (glitch, mistake, truth?) is due to the fact that BP's advertising cycle has ended at WWL-TV and it won't be long before BP coughs up the money to shut down coverage of such unpleasant stories.

Money talks and nobody walks, crawls, or swims if BP has anything to say about it.
WWL-TV News. January 27, 2012:

NEW ORLEANS-- It's been a busy few months for Suzanne Smith of the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas."We keep all kinds of species here," she said.
Smith is also a part of the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program. Just last week alone, she conducted necropsies on three dead dolphins found near Grand Isle.
"We're finding, unfortunately, more dead dolphins than we normally would," Smith said. "So, the testing on the necropsies has gotten very strict and we are taking duplicate and triplicate samples on all parts, externally and internally on these animals, to try and find out what is happening out in the wild population."
Since the beginning of the month, 14 marine mammals, including a dozen dolphins, have been found along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Half of the dead dolphins washed up on the Louisiana coast.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) calls it an "Unusual Mortality Event" in the northern Gulf and next month will mark two years since it began. The tally so far: 630 dead.
"The ongoing death of these dolphins speaks to the idea that we haven't seen all of the impacts from the BP oil drilling disaster end yet," said Dan Favre of the Gulf Restoration Network
Since there is an ongoing investigation and litigation involving the BP spill, Smith and other scientists are not allowed to reveal what they have found in the necropsies. Last fall, NOAA said some of the dead dolphins showed signs of a virus called Brucella. What role, if any, the oil spill may have played with the immune systems of the dead dolphins is still not clear and neither is when the strandings may finally stop.
"I hope we don't see anything more, but I would say we still have a little more time where we're going to be on the edge of our seat in seeing what might actually happen in the future," Favre said.

There is video to the story at the link above.
And so it goes.
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Boredom in a Beach Town

2012-01-30T18:23:00.001-05:00

OK, I realize it's January in a beach resort town, but frankly, we've been spoiled. The weather has been so unlike previous winters that the restaurant has hummed along with diners coming out to enjoy 60' and 70' temperatures. Not so today. Diners were in short supply though the weather was quite mild. I haven't experienced this sort of thing in the 4 years I've worked there. Must remember though, it IS January.

My 2 days off are going to be beautiful and mild with the thermometer reaching the mid 60s F. both days. Having finally received the last link in the chain of documents required to do my taxes, that will take up part of one day. Praying that I don't owe more and maybe even be in line to receive a small refund. Hey, it's a dream, ya know.

With the Chariot fitted with new tires and a fresh tune-up, I plan to take it out for a long ride. Driving 2 - 5 miles weekly isn't good for the engine, battery life, or my own health, for that matter. Fenwick Island, DE and possibly Ocean City, MD are in my sights, not for anything in particular, just to visit, see what's new and open, and maybe take a few photos in the process.

Someone from the previous life dined with us on Sunday, and while we caught up on life, I mentioned that I was in search of a new doctor, since mine has taken a prestigious new position with the area hospital and only sees a few patients (I am one) on his "light" schedule of 2 half days weekly. Not acceptable for me. I cannot wait 2 months for an appointment. I was given the name of a new PCP in the area and will call to find out if he is accepting patients.

I reluctantly finished "Pops a Life of Louis Armstrong" over the weekend and want to thank a certain Mermaid for her post that spurred me to order the book in the first place. It was an amazing experience to read about his life, his genius, and his music (which I had always taken for granted because I adore his work) in a book written by a musician and historian. I didn't want it to end. You may enjoy it, too.

And so it goes.
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Editorial: No Reason To Flee Girl Scouts.

2012-01-29T19:38:00.000-05:00

This is priceless. From NOLA(dot)com:

Alone in the entire country, Covington (Louisiana) moms closed down their troop after Colorado Girl Scouts admitted a transgendered 7-year-old. The withdrawal is purportedly a manifestation of Christian faith, but these sure are some uptight moms. They have nothing to fear in Louisiana, where the Girl Scout council declared in November that no gender ambiguities would be tolerated. That policy was promulgated only after the Colorado Girl Scouts accepted Bobby Montoya, and the matrons of St. Tammany asked whether a similar abomination would be permitted here.
The policy was not promulgated quickly enough for their tastes. Louisiana Girl Scout leaders felt it necessary to discuss the matter before reaching a decision, the issue never having arisen here before.
The slight delay was viewed as a sure sign of moral decay. So the troop that met at Northlake Christian School was disbanded and everyone is joining American Heritage Girls, where the word of God is paramount. And moms familiar with God's views know that he takes a dim view of the transgendered. It is not for us to question why he put them on earth in the first place.
Maybe it wasn't to join the Girl Scouts at that, and anxious Covington moms would not be alone in a preference for anatomical uniformity on, say, camping trips. But it should not be too hard for leaders to avoid embarrassing scenes. Since there is no danger whatsoever of transgendered infiltration in Louisiana anyway, for the moms to pick up their skirts and flee does look like overreaction.
The Colorado decision may just have been the last straw, however, given that Girl Scouts of America is famously subversive and left-wing. No, I didn't know that either, but American Heritage Girls would not exist if lots of moms had not decided that the Scouts had strayed from the path of righteousness. When reciting the Girl Scout promise, for instance, it is nowadays permitted to substitute another deity or concept for "God." In the depths of their depravity, the Scouts are even said to be sympathetic to Planned Parenthood.

The stoopid, it burns, precious, yes it does.

It just gets funnier, and more bizarre from here. Read it.

And so it goes.
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My Ass Needs a Holiday!

2012-01-28T17:57:00.001-05:00

Make that 'still' needs a holiday. I mean it's only been 9 years, after all.

Just about everyone at work is either planning, already on, or returning from a holiday. California, Mexico, Colorado, Florida, and a couple of cruises. All holidays must be taken before the tourist season begins in May. None are allowed during the season for obvious reasons. $$$!

They are all excited in one way or another. I am happy for them and love to hear their stories and plans, but for some reason, I am very depressed this evening.

That is all. I've got nothing more tonight.

And so it goes.
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Pew-Pew, Caturday.

2012-01-28T06:02:00.001-05:00

Not one word need be said.

More later.
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Hungary Holocaust Memorial Day

2012-01-27T22:59:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-27T19:21:00.002-05:00

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 "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

2012-01-26T08:50:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-24T21:05:00.019-05:00

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

2012-01-24T14:36:00.003-05:00

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

2012-01-24T06:48:00.012-05:00

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

2012-01-23T18:00:00.002-05:00

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

2012-01-23T06:39:00.003-05:00

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"

2012-01-22T07:36:00.011-05:00

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

2012-01-21T07:31:00.001-05:00

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

More later.
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Etta James, Johnny Otis: RIP

2012-01-20T18:12:00.000-05:00

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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The 1984 New Orleans World Exposition

2012-01-19T17:35:00.001-05:00

Otherwise known as the 1984 New Orleans World's Fair!

Here are a few of the slides that I saved color-corrected and cleaned up yesterday. Unable to do much else due to the sinus infection and antibiotics, this was a perfect way to use up the precious time between doses.

The fair was a failure as was the one one hundred years earlier, but when I was there in early June (less than a month after it opened) the crowds were pretty large and everyone seemed to have a good time. Sadly, almost nothing remains, but bits and pieces. Most everything was auctioned off after the bankruptcy. Anyway, here goes:


Small segment of huge sculpture near the entrance.


The African Queen, but no Bogey or Hepburn.

Yes, they brought in the Shuttle, Enterprise - down the river by barge.


Dancing fountains with part of the WonderWall behind.


The MART Tram (2 supports can be seen in the picture above). The gondolas transported visitors across the Mississippi River. It was fun, scary and breathtaking.


The WonderWall, fanciful buildings with shops and goodies. The alligators and pelicans were all over the fairgrounds.


Another small segment of the sculpture near the fair entrance. Cool, huh?

These were all shot using Kodachrome film. (Click any image to embiggen) If you want to learn more about the Fair, just use the Google. There are lots of history, collectors, and photographers sites and some are quite fascinating.

Thanks for visiting. Please leave a comment if you wish, or if you were at the fair, too.

And so it goes.

Passing Cloud Reinvents Traveling

2012-01-18T21:34:00.001-05:00

Passing Cloud is a project by Tiago Barros for the international ideas competition: “Life at the Speed of Rail”, organized by the Van Alen Institute in New York City. It reveals a strong conceptual approach on new ways of traveling based on the old Zeppelins.
Nowadays, traveling is achieved with this idea of having a fixed destination and an estimated time of arrival. Passing Cloud completely inverts this system. A floating device is introduced that travels around the entire USA territory according to current predominant winds. It has no fixed time of arrival or place for arrival. The journey becomes the essence.
This project envisions a distinct approach towards moving around the United States being also a revival of the act of traveling. Why traveling at high speed? Why having the final destiny always defined? And why always departing and arriving on a tight schedule? Nowadays, everything is set and everyone is always running around.
Passing Cloud is an innovative and environmentally friendly method of transportation that doesn’t require expensive steel tracks or concrete highways. It is made of a series of spherical balloons that form the shape of a cloud. Its inner stainless steel structure is covered with heavy weight tensile nylon fabric. During the journey, It moves according to prevailing winds speed and direction at the time of travel. Since it moves with the wind, no wind is ever felt during the trip, offering the passengers a full “floating sensation”. (via Evolo)

From brain-food:

*

Tell Congress NO on SOPA & PIPA

2012-01-18T10:38:00.002-05:00

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Click HERE. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

More later.
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CNN Segment on BiNational Couple Hits Home

2012-01-17T20:48:00.001-05:00

Now, as you know I have no TV service, so I depend on the Interwebs for news. Well, raise my rent! Blogger buddy Mark, of "Our Simple Lives" and his husband, Fred were interviewed live today on CNN. I spotted the clip on several sites and finally located this one.

The guys have a family that includes 4 adorable children and a true HAM of a dog.To be honest I didn't know of their plight until recently. They were pretty private people until now. Their story is heartbreaking. Watch the clip then take a trip to Mark's blog, say "Hi" and learn how you can help change the incredibly harmful and stupid DOMA.

Go over and send the guys some love, and get to know a real American family HERE.

And so it goes.
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SOPA: Wikipedia, Reddit and others go Dark Wednesday

2012-01-17T19:17:00.000-05:00

To Protest Stop Online Piracy Act. (SOPA)

From Amy Goodman at TruthOut: Includes a transcript of an interview with Corynne McSherry. Try this on for size:

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia and sixth most visited site in the world, will join websites like the content aggregator Reddit to "go dark" on Wednesday in opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its companion bill, the Protect IP Act (PIPA), which are currently being debated in Congress. "What these bills propose are new powers for the government and also for private actors to create, effectively, blacklists of sites that allegedly are engaging in some form of online infringement and then force service providers to block access to those sites," says Corynne McSherry, intellectual property director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "What we would have is a situation where the government and private actors could censor the net." Chief technology officials in the Obama administration have expressed concern about any "legislation that...undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet." But the bills’ main backers—Hollywood movie studios and music publishers—want to stop the theft of their creative content, and the bills have widespread bipartisan support. A vote on SOPA is on hold in the House now, as the Senate is still scheduled vote on PIPA next Tuesday.

Here's the whole piece.

And so it goes.
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Overdue Visit to Medical Clinic

2012-01-17T13:47:00.000-05:00

At 2 am I woke unable to breathe and without thinking, grabbed for the tissues. Glad I did. What followed was the grand-daddy of all nose-bleeds. After 10 minutes of nose-pinching it finally stopped and I was able to sit up in bed, not lie down, and attempt to sleep again. Didn't work too well.

I tried to visit the emergency medical clinic last weekend after work, but the place was packed (mostly with moms and small children) G*d knows what I may have contracted had I stayed. Although it was pouring rain, the temperatures were warmer so I dragged my sorry self to the clinic early this morning. I was first in line and taken in immediately for examination when the doors opened.

The upshot is a serious sinus infection. I must stop taking any anti-inflammatory meds, including the arthritis scrip, even the lowly aspirin. All blood thinners. A scrip for an antibiotic was emailed to the pharmacy as I sat on the exam table and ready for pick-up when I arrived, as if on cue. I have never heard of this one - Cephalexin - but there are so many I am not surprised. It wasn't too expensive, either, so that was a plus. One tab thrice daily - every 8 hours and no cheating. The regime will be 6 am, 2 pm, and 10 pm.

I am not to honk my nose for 24 hours and only dab when necessary. You know that just because I can't, I want to anyway, but...I don't want a repeat of last night. To keep the area from getting dry and irratated, I am to apply Vaseline to the inside of both nostrils. Oh, and no exertion allowed. Lifting and bending are out of the question.

Scary time, indeed, and frightfully annoying. Now that I am home, it's raining much harder, so I couldn't do anything on my day off, anyway. I'll change into sweats and make a bit of lunch. Maybe I'll watch a movie DVD to pass the time.

I don't like being bored. I don't like being sick

And so it goes.
*

Happy Birthday, Dr. King

2012-01-15T08:26:00.000-05:00

Busy holiday weekend here.

More later.
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A Caturday Observation

2012-01-14T07:34:00.002-05:00

And it's true, isn't it.

More later.

Friday the Thirteenth

2012-01-13T19:14:00.001-05:00

First a bit of history: The Knights Templar were imprisoned on the date, and FDR refused to take a train trip (his preferred mode of travel most of the time) on this date.

Maybe I should have stayed in bed!

My day got off to an appropriate 13th start. Put music on the player, brushed teeth, then headed to the kitchen to brew a mug of coffee in my Senseo machine. While it brewed, I took out a few things for a light breakfast. When coffee was done, I added a bit of milk and sugar, and sat on the sofa to enjoy the hot mug as I listened to Stan Getz.

A rude awakening occurred with the first sip. It was sour, bitter, gag-inducing. After running to the kitchen to spit it out, wondering who could have sabotaged the coffee pod, it dawned on me. I had descaled the machine yesterday afternoon and I guess somehow forgot the THIRD cold water run-through rinse. Running cold water through the reservoir to get rid of the vinegar used in the process.

Another teeth-brushing and copious amounts of mouthwash did little to solve the problem. It wasn't until I whipped up and downed scrambled eggs with chopped calamata olives & jack cheese with sourdough toast that my taste-buds would even communicate with my (by now) wide awake brain.

Happily, it was all sunshine and lollipops after that. Even the lowly tuna salad and tomato baguette I had for lunch was a little slice of heaven, if you get my drift.

Home now and lying low until Saturday the Fourteenth blows in.

And so it goes.
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"Never See The Likes of This Again!"

2012-01-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

Here is the full version of that great short clip in "That's Entertainment" featuring Eleanor Powell (the best tap dancing lady at MGM) and Fred Astaire (yes, we all know he's best) and it is truly a knock out, breathtaking dance number. And as Sinatra said in the film "it's not likely you'll see this any time soon."

Finding this video really made my day. The memories of the movie remain strong and make me very happy indeed.

Interrupt Mahler, Will You?

2012-01-13T06:59:00.001-05:00

The offender and their entire party should have been tossed out of the hall. Literally, thrown out of the building. I'll bet the house manager and ushers would have received a standing ovation.

NEW YORK (AP) — It's the dreaded sound at any live performance — a ringing cellphone. That's what happened Tuesday night at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall during the final movement of Gustav Mahler's Ninth Symphony by the New York Philharmonic.

Music Director Alan Gilbert stopped the orchestra until the phone was silenced.
When the iPhone's ringtone initially went off, the conductor turned his head to signal his displeasure. But the ringing from the first row persisted.
Gilbert asked that the offending noise be turned off and finally stopped the orchestra until it was.
Betsy Vorce, speaking for Lincoln Center, says an announcement is made before every performance telling audience members to turn off their phones. If a device does go off, ushers are directed to discreetly ask the owner to turn it off.

I've been in Broadway houses when the cast halted a scene, walked down stage, sat down, and waited for the offender to finish the call. They then ordered the house crew to remove that person, or their phone - and until that was accomplished, the play did not continue. I would not have been so generous.

Whatever happened to class?

And so it goes.

Amsterdam 1990

2012-01-12T07:56:00.002-05:00

No description necessary for this one.

click to embiggen.

And so it goes.

Updates and Loose Ends

2012-01-11T16:57:00.004-05:00

- (*)

The good news is there have been no nose-bleeds in 24 hours. Not much sleep either, but that's another story. For all the bed-rest, liquids, and pampering I don't feel a hell-of-a-lot better today. Unable to breathe lying flat, I was reduced to multiple propped up pillows to get any sleep at all. Of course, that's not good for the back, but hey, breathing is more important. At least I think it is.

I had a hardy breakfast and took another shower before heading back to bed. When I looked into the mirror I was stunned a bit. Although I am squeaky clean, I look like a street bum, not having shaved since Monday and with the ragged look in my eyes. Only missing the chenille bedspread and grocery cart to complete the look. Jeez! What a mess.

Just finished a lunch of sourdough toast with butter and jam, washed down with cup of green tea and honey, and thought about a post. Though not much has happened here of note, I thought I'd update a few things and tie a few loose ends of things posted about earlier. So, here goes.

The new shower-head: No good. Although the description said it had a 360' function, that only meant horizontally, not vertically. So, if I wanted to use it, I would have to sit down, or kneel in the tub to shower. Not an option. When I feel better there will be a trip to home depot for an inexpensive single function model, and that will be that.

The promised photos of Christmas and Hoodie from the locosguys: Yes, I know. Sadly, not yet downloaded - or taken - respectively. Near future, promise again.

The hand-me-down gift of "The Griddler": I have used it a few times and it does an OK job and it's super fast at high temps. It's been used for steaks, chops, chicken breasts and panini. Truth be told, it's not as good as the stove-top cast iron baby I purchased earlier. Yes, the griddler is super easy to clean and fast, but the cast iron does a better job at searing. I don't do lots of grilling, anyway, so I guess it will depend on the meat and the mood. You can quote me on that. You of the filthy minds!!!

Dr. Spo and the shirt of many colours: He is working on it and provides updates just to taunt me. The Dear. I am kidding of course, I am honoured to be a future recipient of one of his creations. And, only ONE other person will have the exact same shirt as I. Nope, not telling who that might be. I provided the fabric and the good doctor, the talent. I just know it will be worn with pride as will mine.

The food processor: My tiny Cuisinart 20 oz. processor has given up the ghost. Large cracks in the blade spindle and blade slots make me think that one more use and those (and other things) will go flying about the kitchen. It will never be used again.

I have my eye on one of those duo-units = food processor & blender combo, use the same base. One appliance instead of two. While I rarely have need for a blender, it would be a convenient tool. It's also from Cuisinart and could be stored in place of the present one. Almost the same footprint for the base, only extra space for the alternate container is needed.

Hospital payments: Unless I have another major health crisis beforehand, my last monthly payment will be April 2012. At which time I will do a Snoopy Happy Dance at the thought of the extra cash, and probably break my neck!

Dental payments: Again, if all doesn't fall apart in the next few months, the last payment to "Care Credit" will be June, 2012.

Note: Don't be seduced into using this company unless you plan to pay off the initial balance within 12 months. Their interest rates are outrageous and, as of this date, still legal.

Social Security Administration: Received the first communication of 2012 and essentially it says "you make too fucking much money, so no checks for you, you rich bastard." In so many more words, of course.

I did earn more in 2011 than in the previous 5 years (crawling my way back) following the breakup. That's when everything was ripped from me or went up in flames, but to live under their requirements of $1,140. monthly (gross income) I would have to live in a box.

Fuck'em! I'll wait...Like I have a choice?

Ain't life grand, huh?

* Above image is for Mark of 'Our Simple Lives' he will understand.

And so it goes.
*

Pretty Awful, Not Pretty.

2012-01-10T13:03:00.000-05:00

Had a bad night. Woke at 2 am with a splitting headache that ultimately ended in a 2 towel nose-bleed. Took a steamy, hot shower then applied an ice pack to relieve the pressure and stifle the bleeding. Finally fell asleep again waking up at regular time feeling a little better, though still under pressure, if you get my drift.

I haven't had a nose-bleed in over 30 years! Why now? Dunno! It ain't pretty, that's for sure.

Took another hot shower and felt tired again. There's still blood present, but not in the nose-bleed sense. I use extreme care when using a tissue to relieve that pressure. I probably need a humidifier because the air in the apartment is probably very dry.

The eyes are no longer watery or itchy. I have no other symptoms, so I doubt it's a flu bug that's going around. More than likely, it's a head cold. Although I am feeling better than yesterday/last night, I will stick close to the bed today. I've got soup, stew, tea, all ready for the microwave.

The upside is that I can stay home today and tomorrow so I can take care of myself without subjecting others to my miserable countenance. Hopefully, all will be better by Thursday.

Back to bed for now.

More later, maybe.

Short Films - Short Fuses

2012-01-09T18:55:00.001-05:00

Remember that crew that was to have shot a short video for YELP last Monday? It turns out signals were crossed and they were "really"scheduled for today. Oh! Last week we had a dining room full of people and a pretty good bar crowd. Not so today.

Snow flurries (not forecast) likely frightened everyone indoors; even the $10. stonegrill steak dinner special didn't seem to have much effect.

Again, the crew was due at 3 pm, but didn't arrive until after 4. The dining room was about half full, with only 3 people at the bar.

When the evening host arrived I chose to get the hell out before the locosbuys blew a fuse. I've had dealings with the camera people in the past and didn't want to witness the conflagration that could possibly ensue.

While the locosguys were "having words" with the cameraman I logged out, put on my coat and hit the street. Why?

1. I've been fighting indoor allergies - or the onset of a head cold for 4 days - and not in any condition to put up with histrionics from either side.
2. I think it a bad idea to shoot in winter and expect it to look sort of summer-ish, but they're going to do it anyway. How they are going to hide coats, hats, and umbrellas is anybody's guess.

I am happy to be home, out of the snow/rain and ready for a festive cocktail before starting the evening meal. I have 2 days off starting tomorrow and I am so looking forward to doing mostly, well, nothing. And plenty of it.

There is a tiny to-do list, but that's all.

And so it goes.
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BP, Katrina & Cat Island: The Heartbreak Continues

2012-01-09T07:32:00.000-05:00

I've not had a lot of time to read blogs of my southern faves, but I just came across this one and it broke my heart, again. It's pretty much a photo essay, so I'll post a teaser and send you over to judyb54 at NOLAfemmes for the rest.

Cat Island…the heartbreak continues

I have been lucky in friending Plaquemines Parish P.J. Hahn, Director of Coastal Zone Management on facebook and following his photography. I did so during the oilspill of 2010, knowing he would provide local, honest first-person reporting of an incident that was censored by BP, the Coast Guard and our government.
I can’t watch the repeats of the footage from the BP Oilspill. The carnage just makes me ill in the same way the the replay of the explosion of Challenger in 1986. But I will never forget those dark periods in our history.
I remember that I had jury duty during one of the first weeks of the spill and I absent-mindedly chose the book Bayou Farewell, published in 2004 and authored by Mike Tidwell . This book basically predicted a Katrina experience. Of course a lot of books and articles were floating around during the early 21st century regarding the perfect storm that would be called Katrina. In the book Tidwell visited and worked with the heart and soul of southern Louisiana: the fisherpeople. The one thing that was repeated over and over by these hard working folks was the loss of our coastal wetlands and the speed in which it is happening.
The BP poisoning of the Gulf Coast is still having its effects from Louisiana to Florida, 20 months later. Just this week P.J. Hahn took a boat ride out to Cat Island in Barataria Bay to assess its health. It turned out to be extremely disappointing, as evidenced by P.J.’s pictures below:

See the rest HERE.

And so it goes.
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New Additions to Congress Film Registry

2012-01-07T21:38:00.002-05:00

I am happy to see that "The Kid" is being recognized, as well as many others, including Bambi, Frank Capra's "The Negro Soldier", and Forest Gump

WASHINGTON — Bambi, Forrest Gump and Hannibal Lecter have at least one thing in common: Their cinematic adventures were chosen by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the world's largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings.
"The Silence of the Lambs" (1991), a harrowing psychological thriller about the cannibalistic serial killer Lecter, and "Forrest Gump" (1994), starring Tom Hanks as the guileless hero who thinks "life is like a box of chocolates," were critical and commercial successes that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The animated Disney classic "Bambi" is among the most beloved movies ever made.
A majority of the 25 titles chosen this year for inclusion in the National Film Registry are lesser-known – including silent films, documentaries, avant-garde cinema and even home movies. The Library of Congress announced the selections Tuesday.
The registry began in 1989 under an act of Congress and now includes 575 films. Its aim is not to identify the best movies ever made but to preserve films with artistic, cultural or historical significance. Previous titles chosen range from "The Birth of a Nation" to "National Lampoon's Animal House."
"Forrest Gump" has its critical detractors but was praised for its technical achievements, including the seamless incorporation of the title character into historical footage.
More than 2,200 films were nominated for the registry this year. The National Film Preservation Board pares them down before Librarian of Congress James H. Billington makes the final selections.
"Each year, we do try to pick one of the titles that the public nominated the most, and `Forrest Gump' was way up there on that list," said Stephen Leggett, program coordinator for the National Film Preservation Board. "Everything on the list is subject to dissenting opinion."
Staffers at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Va., work to ensure that each title is preserved for future generations, packing away original negatives or unreleased prints into the facility's massive vault and collaborating with other preservationists, movie studios and independent filmmakers.
"These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture," Billington said in a statement. "Our film heritage must be protected because these cinematic treasures document our history and culture and reflect our hopes and dreams."
Leggett said he was pleased by the inclusion of "The Negro Soldier," a 1944 documentary produced by Frank Capra that was groundbreaking for its realistic and positive depiction of African-Americans. It became mandatory viewing for soldiers entering the army in the latter stages of the war and was shown in commercial theaters.
"It was kind of ironic because the official Army policy at the time was still segregation. You had a film which was implicitly if not explicitly promoting integration," he said.
Films must be at least 10 years old to be considered for the registry.
The oldest movies selected this year are both from 1912. "The Cry of the Children" is about the pre-World War I child labor reform movement, and "A Cure for Pokeritis" stars John Bunny, regarded as the American film industry's earliest comic superstar.
"A lot of people would argue that the humor is kind of dated," Leggett said of Bunny's films – mostly short domestic comedies in which he played a henpecked husband. "He really was a major figure at the time. It doesn't help your reputation when people like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton come after you."
Chaplin's first feature, "The Kid" (1921), was also chosen for the registry.

More HERE.

And so it goes.
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Caturday, BIG Caturday!

2012-01-07T07:33:00.000-05:00

Aren't they beautiful. As usual, click to embiggen.

More later.
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Resolutions vs. Change

2012-01-05T19:54:00.001-05:00

I don't make resolutions; I think it's a waste of time, energy, and makes change virtually impossible. It's a self-imposed guilt trip. It's a set-up for failure. I cannot force myself to change something that I really don't want to change."Be it resolved" is a great phrase, but the issue at hand is seldom, if ever, "resolved".

Maybe I want to lose 5 pounds; walk more; get out of the apartment more; eat more fish; subscribe to a TV service, etc. You get my drift.

If I want to make a change, I have to want it to happen. That's the bottom line - WANTING that change. I have to make it happen. I cannot fake it. It's like that old definition of crazy, "keep doing what you've always done and expecting a different outcome" and it doesn't work that way.

I don't mind being alone. In fact, I'm not sure I could live with someone now. I love the privacy and never having to explain anything to anyone.

Instead of resolutions, I have a goal or two, for 2012. I want to meet some blogger buddies, especially those who live nearby. If it becomes financially feasible, I'd like to meet others farther away. I'd like to break bread, share a drink and learn more about them and their environment. Likes and dislikes, pet peeves and petty annoyances are secondary, since I follow bloggers with similar taste and sensahumah. No names, I think you know who you are.

I strive to maintain my health, such as it is, and work at staying up-right and mobile even with the arthritis and spine problems. I keep moving and exercising, regardless of the pain. The alternative is not an option.

And...I am still searching for one person who has a hankering to take an Alaskan cruise or cruise-tour. I cannot afford the price of a cabin alone. I'll just leave this out there and see what happens in 2012.

The Universe is full of surprises.

And so it goes.
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Congrats to Mittens

2012-01-05T18:57:00.001-05:00

More later.
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Luxury of Doing Nothing

2012-01-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

I DID try, honestly I did.

But other than eating, sleeping, reading, watching YouTube videos, and cleaning up a few scanned images, not much else got done these 2 days off. Tuesday was a total chill-out day - didn't leave home at all.

Today, I've had only enough energy to do the bit of grocery shopping for necessities, and whip up a Remoulade sauce and Muffuletta olive salad. Both need to settle for a few days to a week, respectively.

Weather turned clear and cold overnight with a morning temperature of 13'F here. That was almost enough of an excuse to turn me off the idea of driving to the supermarket (almost!), but I knew I had to get those few things because I couldn't do without them for another week.

Arrived home to find the landlord's van parked in the driveway and 2 maintenance guys emptying the apartment next door of furniture, bedding, rugs, kitchen supplies, and God-know-what stuffed in huge plastic bags, and dumping it curbside. One of their big trucks will come by later this evening to take it all away.

It appears that the neighbor (who had lived there for 14 years and never missed a rent payment) suddenly vanished without a trace. No foul-play is suspected because there was no TV, audio equipment, cable box, or telephones. Just all the stuff he didn't want, I suppose.

I had not seen him in about 2 months, but his car was usually parked nearby as I walked to work daily. However, I don't remember seeing it during December, but I was too preoccupied to really notice.

I can only hope the next tenant the landlord finds is a non-smoker. It's a new year and one can hope for the best. The smokers on the other side have been pretty quiet and I haven't smelled tobacco smoke - yet. That could change as the weather turns colder. (sigh!)

And so it goes.
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A More Recent Relic: At The Blue Room, New Orleans.

2012-01-03T16:33:00.005-05:00

About a year ago I came across an interesting piece detailing the renovation and re-opening of the famed Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans and in introducing the article I mentioned memories of spending evenings there with friends dancing to the house band and drinking cokes.

Today, the daughter of my beloved dance teacher posted several photos of the old dance company and this photo was among them. Top and bottom at left are the teacher and husband. Girls on the floor, boys on the bandstand. (Click the image to embiggen.) While I don't remember everyone in the photo, I am still in touch with those who hung around for years and became friends. And yes, I am in the picture, though it's unlikely that you'll find me without help.

HINT: I sorta stand out like a sore thumb! No, I am not the redhead on the right with the big hair. She was Louie Prima's daughter, and a damned good dancer, too.

It was posted on FB and I was tagged in a bunch of others, too. But this one is validation that I didn't dream or make up stories about our time together in the 50s and 60s. If I get over the embarrassment, I may post a few others in a separate post - if you promise not to laugh too hard.

I once had this photo (an original 8 X 10, from The Blue Room photographer - all good hotels had one on staff back then) but lost it with everything else in the break up. I am thrilled to see it again, even in digital form.

Please don't think that I am an "Elder Sage" (thank you Ur-spo) wanting to live in the past. On the contrary, I want to share what a wonderful past it was and how those years laid the foundation for becoming the person I am today. Remembering what I learned from that time is a treasure to me. Reliving the past is not my thing.

OK, if you haven't been able to find me, here I am. I was the only guy in a very thin 1960s necktie and a white sport coat. Well, it was summer in NOLA, after all...and those pencil-thin ties were all the rage.

Hard to believe, huh? That I had real hair back in those days, I mean. If memory serves, I believe this was taken in 1961 - and I was 15 years old.

Well class, the bell has rung and that ends this short journey through history for now.

And so it goes.
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Levees.Org Weighs in on SOPA

2012-01-03T06:44:00.002-05:00

This is a guest post by Stanford Rosenthal, designer & developer for Levees.Org since 2005.

Levees.Org’s success would not be possible without online services such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Wikipedia, Paypal and Scribd. YouTube alone has allowed us to broadcast our message to nearly 400,000 viewers. These services have flourished amid a free and open Internet protected by a law called the DMCA. Each of the companies behind these services publicly opposes a bill called SOPA.
SOPA (the Stop Online Piracy Act) is a bill in Congress intended to prevent illegal sharing of copyrighted material such as music and videos. However, the bill’s broad language poses a threat to the Internet as we know it. For the first time in history, the United States Federal Government will be able to dictate which websites you have access to. As a group of 83 engineers instrumental in creating the Internet put it in an open letter to Congress:

If enacted, either of these bills will create an environment of tremendous fear and uncertainty for technological innovation, and seriously harm the credibility of the United States in its role as a steward of key Internet infrastructure. Regardless of recent amendments to SOPA, both bills will risk fragmenting the Internet’s global domain name system (DNS) and have other capricious technical consequences. In exchange for this, such legislation would engender censorship that will simultaneously be circumvented by deliberate infringers while hampering innocent parties’ right and ability to communicate and express themselves online.

My mother and I are fully aware of how powerful organizations can violate our First Amendment rights. We believe that SOPA goes against the best interest of Levees.Org supporters, and we have already taken action by transferring one domain away from and canceling our automatic renewals on GoDaddy.com, a supporter of SOPA. Godaddy has since reversed its stance following customer outrage.

We encourage you to urge your members of Congress to vote against SOPA.
(end)

More later.
*

Eight-Day Work-Athlon Ends

2012-01-02T19:18:00.000-05:00

Just in time. No injuries or deaths reported, though there were a few close calls.

Truth be told, a co-worker who put in the same days and shifts with me began to fail by early afternoon today, we both had that sinking-feeling, but made it through to share a few hearty laughs and an AS drink together before heading home for a 2-day rest.

A film crew was due at 3 this afternoon to shoot a short video for YELP, but they were a no-show when I finally headed home at 5 pm. The locosguys were not amused because we had a full dining room for the evening's special and it would have been an easy shoot.

By the time I left there had been a few scathing emails sent and I can understand why; the whole staff is assembled by 3 pm, the entire restaurant is camera-ready, special dishes are being prepared for the shoot and - - - nothing. As far as I know, there were no replies to the emails. It is what it is.

There's not much on my gay agenda tomorrow, just a few errands and a bit of grocery shopping followed, of course, by some winter cooking. Other than that, nothing is planned, and that's fine with me.

Spending time cleaning up and editing slides will be a relaxing way to enjoy the time off. I continue to be amazed by some of the images I've been able to save all these years later. Even more amazed by the quality of those images. Most of them I have little memory of shooting, but the location and dates, I remember distinctly.

We are due for frigid temperatures overnight and a cold, brisk day tomorrow. It appears that winter has finally caught up to us. Still, the days grow longer, spring is only 2 months away. Cheer up, it's all good. At least that's what I tell myself.

And so it goes.
*

1,100-year-old Mayan ruins found in Georgia, USA

2012-01-02T07:59:00.001-05:00

When It's History Time in Georgia!

This is truly wonderful. As some of you know I love this kind of historic story and just came across this one last night. I had to share. From Raw Story:

Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of an ancient Mayan city in the mountains of North Georgia believed to be at least 1,100 years old. According to Richard Thornton at Examiner.com, the ruins are reportedly what remains of a city built by Mayans fleeing wars, volcanic eruptions, droughts and famine.
In 1999, University of Georgia archeologist Mark Williams led an expedition to investigate the Kenimer Mound, a large, five-sided pyramid built in approximately 900 A.D. in the foothills of Georgia’s tallest mountain, Brasstown Bald. Many local residents has assumed for years that the pyramid was just another wooded hill, but in fact it was a structure built on an existing hill in a method common to Mayans living in Central America as well as to Southeastern Native American tribes.
Speculation has abounded for years as to what could have happened to the people who lived in the great Meso-American societies of the first century. Some historians believed that they simply died out in plagues and food shortages, but others have long speculated about the possibility of mass migration to other regions.
When evidence began to turn up of Mayan connections to the Georgia site, South African archeologist Johannes Loubser brought teams to the site who took soil samples and analyzed pottery shards which dated the site and indicated that it had been inhabited for many decades approximately 1000 years ago. The people who settled there were known as Itza Maya, a word that carried over into the Cherokee language of the region.
The city that is being uncovered there is believed to have been called Yupaha, which Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto searched for unsuccessfully in 1540. So far, archeologists have unearthed “at least 154 stone masonry walls for agricultural terraces, plus evidence of a sophisticated irrigation system and ruins of several other stone structures.” Much more may still be hidden underground.
The find is particularly relevant in that it establishes specific links between the culture of Southeastern Native Americans and ancient Mayans. According to Thornton, it may be the “most important archeological discovery in recent times.”

Nice way to begin the new year.

More later.
*

Even Doggies...Today

2012-01-01T07:32:00.000-05:00

Off to work. Two more days to go and I'll have 2 days off. Yay for me!

More later.
*

Barbara Cook Honored: Best Ending to Begin 2012

2011-12-31T22:45:00.003-05:00

Following a cocktail and supper, and as a small bottle of the bubbly chills, I tried (again!) to call the sister to wish her well in the new year. Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather when she actually answered the phone. We had a nice chat and I learned that she's been inflicted with "shingles" for 3 weeks and in a lot of pain. I know that pain, having had shingles in my 30s long before there were any treatment options available. From everything she told me it seems she's getting good care, so that's a relief.

The little bottle of the bubbly continues to chill, so I sat down to read a few fave bloggers and happened to come upon this wonderful gem. The finale of the Kennedy Center Honors, saluting my all-time fave lyric soprano, Barbara Cook. Barbara, looking radiant, is seated in the guest of honor section flanked by the president and first lady, Yo-Yo Ma, Neil Diamond, Meryl Streep and more.

The talent on stage left me speechless. Each time the camera locked on Barbara I couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind as she listened to the songs she introduced in so many shows, and re-invented in concerts.

To my mind the show ends as it should - with the entire cast performing the finale from Candide. The look on Barbara's face says it all. I can think of no finer way to ring in the new year, than with this tribute.

But let me stop rambling and let you view what I think is the best video to end 2011.

Side note: the sound is out of sync on the final 1/3 of the video. Still worthwhile viewing.

The bubbly ought to be chilled enough by now. See you next year.

And so it goes.
*

2011 in 100 Seconds

2011-12-31T17:06:00.000-05:00

From Talking Points Memo:

Worked late today and the restaurant is totally booked for the night - from 5 pm til? Served almost 300 diners at lunch (at one point we had a 40-minute wait for a table) and I am exhausted. Didn't stay for an AS cocktail, but walked home in the warm and quiet evening.

Wishing you all a safe and happy new year's eve and only good things for 2012.

Cheers!

New Year Resolution Caturday

2011-12-31T06:56:00.002-05:00

I've been on one all week, or so it seems.

More later.
*

Ella & Armstrong: This Evening's Treat

2011-12-30T19:47:00.002-05:00

Finished day 5 of the 8-day work-a-thon and though everyone has been in great spirits, I was feeling the strain. The back, hands, shoulders all ache after the day's work.We served over 150 people at lunch today. Tonight I shared my AS cocktail with a co-worker (who was equally exhausted) who has to attend a dinner party this evening. I wished him well.

I came home, made another cocktail as I prepared the evening meal, and put Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald's recording of Porgy & Bess on the CD player. After supper I relaxed, closed my eyes and listened to it again, I feel better for the experience. This recording was made in the late 50s and one of the first to be recorded in 'stereo' - I had the original on vinyl (lost to my previous life) but was able to find a reissue of it on a CD a couple of years ago.

Give a listen and tell me how you feel afterwards.

Tomorrow is the BIG day. Beaucoup reservations, even for lunch, and the evening is totally booked. I am grateful that I will not be working tomorrow night.

And so it goes.
*

Woody Guthrie Gets Belated Honor in his Home State.

2011-12-30T05:56:00.001-05:00

I'd say this is a long overdue tribute. But that's just the progressive in me. BTW, the sticker on his guitar reads "This Machine KILLS Fascists" From the Gray Lady:

TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma has always had a troubled relationship with her native son Woody Guthrie. The communist sympathies of America’s balladeer infuriated local detractors. In 1999 a wealthy donor’s objections forced the Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City to cancel a planned exhibition on Guthrie organized by the Smithsonian Institution. It wasn’t until 2006, nearly four decades after his death, that the Oklahoma Hall of Fame got around to adding him to its ranks.
But as places from California to the New York island get ready to celebrate the centennial of Guthrie’s birth, in 2012, Oklahoma is finally ready to welcome him home. The George Kaiser Family Foundation in Tulsa plans to announce this week that it is buying the Guthrie archives from his children and building an exhibition and study center to honor his legacy.
“Oklahoma was like his mother,” said his daughter Nora Guthrie, throwing back her tangle of gray curls as she reached out in an embrace. “Now he’s back in his mother’s arms.”
The archive includes the astonishing creative output of Guthrie during his 55 years. There are scores of notebooks and diaries written in his precise handwriting and illustrated with cartoons, watercolors, stickers and clippings; hundreds of letters; 581 artworks; a half-dozen scrapbooks; unpublished short stories, novels and essays; as well as the lyrics to the 3,000 or more songs he scribbled on scraps of paper, gift wrap, napkins, paper bags and place mats. Much of the material has rarely or never been seen in public, including the lyrics to most of the songs. Guthrie could not write musical notation, so the melodies have been lost.
The foundation, which paid $3 million for the archives, is planning a kickoff celebration on March 10, with a conference in conjunction with the University of Tulsa and a concert sponsored by the Grammy Museum featuring his son Arlo Guthrie and other musicians. Although the collection won’t be transferred until 2013, preparations for its arrival are already in motion. Construction workers are clearing out piles of red brick and wire mesh from the loading dock in the northeast end of the old Tulsa Paper Company building, in the Brady District of the city, where the planned Guthrie Center is taking shape. The center is part of an ambitious plan to revitalize the downtown arts community.
Now that the back walls are punched out, workers trucking wheelbarrows of concrete can look across the tracks to the tower built by BOK Financial, which George Kaiser, whose foundation bears his name, presides over as chairman. Forbes magazine ranks Mr. Kaiser as the richest man in Oklahoma and No. 31 on its Forbes 400 list.
Ken Levit, the foundation’s executive director, said he thought of doing something for Guthrie after the Hall of Fame induction. Nowhere in Tulsa, he said, is there even a plaque paying homage to this folk legend, who composed “This Land Is Your Land”; performed with Pete Seeger and Lead Belly; wrote the fictionalized autobiography “Bound for Glory”; and sang at countless strikes and migrant labor protests in the 1930s and ’40s. Mr. Levit began a more than three-year campaign to win the consent of Ms. Guthrie, who had taken custody of the boxes that her mother, Marjorie Guthrie, had stowed away in the basement of her home in Howard Beach, Queens.
Ms. Guthrie, who as one of Guthrie’s youngest children, didn’t really know her father until Huntington’s disease began to rob him of his sanity, movement and speech many years before his death, in 1967, said she only rediscovered the kind of man he once was when she started to page through the boxes about 15 years ago.
“I fell in love through this material with my father,” Ms. Guthrie, 61, a former dancer, said from her office in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

This is the guts of American History in the 20th Century that many don't want anyone to know about. Please read the entire piece HERE to understand.

More later.
*

Katrina Victims Fight FEMA Demands for Repayment

2011-12-29T07:25:00.002-05:00

They must be kidding, right?

Um, no.

Six years after the man-made disaster FEMA is claiming they made mistakes and want their money back. You can't make this stuff up. From NOLA.com:

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency mailed out 83,000 debt notices this year to victims of Hurricane Katrina and other 2005 storms, one of the letters showed up in David Bellinger's mailbox. Bellinger, who is blind, needed a friend to read it and break the news that FEMA wants him to pay back more than $3,200 in federal aid he received after Katrina.
Racusen said the agency has implemented "strong protections" to avoid making improper payments, reducing its error rate from about 14 percent after Katrina to less than 1 percent for more recent disasters.
"We have also worked to significantly improve the recoupment process so that it is more understandable and provides due process for both disaster survivors and taxpayers," she said in a statement.
FEMA's collection efforts aren't limited to the 2005 storms. The agency has mailed out more than 6,000 debt letters to survivors of other recent disasters, including floods.
Approximately 2,500 recipients, including 930 victims of the 2005 hurricanes, have appealed their debt notices. FEMA says about 30 percent of those appeals successfully erased at least some of the debt. Recipients also can ask for a waiver due to economic hardship.
"It is important for any individual who has received a recoupment notice to know that these letters are the start of a conversation with FEMA, not the end," Racusen said.

"A conversation with FEMA" the agency that allowed New Orleans to drown and didn't send aid for 5 to 7 days, thanks to "heck of a job, Brownie"? Right!

Read the rest HERE. Take a blood pressure med first, though.

More later.
*

An 8-Day Work Marathon

2011-12-27T18:27:00.000-05:00

I won't have a day off until January 3, 2012. Everything is going well and I don't mind really. I can use the extra hours and my daytime staff is a fine-tuned machine by now. Thankfully, we've been busy serving about 120 guests at lunch and 300 for dinner. It's a good thing all round: restaurant makes money, servers make money, customers get to relax and enjoy good food, drink, and company.

This was the second day of my 8-day work marathon. Historically, the week between Christmas and the New Year has been a big family week at the restaurant; the kids are out of school and the parents want to relax and enjoy the rest of the season.

As my shift ended we were hit with a torrential rainstorm, I stayed for my AS cocktail anyway, but getting home was no picnic. Arrived to find a soaking wet package (much like myself) on the porch and prayed that the items inside were properly wrapped. Removed the wet work drag at the door, dumping it into a box nearby, and hurriedly threw on some sweats and dry socks before opening the package. Items inside were wrapped well and dry though the outer box fell apart as I lifted it to the counter, catching the items before they tumbled to the floor.

The most important item is a new shower-head for the bath. The present one would probably be considered an antique today, and is about to give up the ghost. The new one came with no instructions, but I hope to figure it out and install it before work tomorrow.

The rain continues as the winds have increased, so I think it's going to be a bumpy night. Just hope I don't lose electric power. I will prepare supper quickly, just in case. Microwaving left-overs is fast, after all.

New Year's Eve has never been a fave holiday so I am happy that I work the day shift and have no dealings with the drunks later that night. By the time 2012 rolls in I will have been asleep for about 2.5 hours, and that's the way it should be.

And so it goes.
*

Cold War Secret Revealed: Making Spy Satellites

2011-12-27T06:45:00.001-05:00

A chilling revelation:

DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — For more than a decade they toiled in the strange, boxy-looking building on the hill above the municipal airport, the building with no windows (except in the cafeteria), the building filled with secrets.
They wore protective white jumpsuits, and had to walk through air-shower chambers before entering the sanitized "cleanroom" where the equipment was stored.
They spoke in code.
Few knew the true identity of "the customer" they met in a smoke-filled, wood-paneled conference room where the phone lines were scrambled. When they traveled, they sometimes used false names.
At one point in the 1970s there were more than 1,000 people in the Danbury area working on The Secret. And though they worked long hours under intense deadlines, sometimes missing family holidays and anniversaries, they could tell no one — not even their wives and children — what they did.
They were engineers, scientists, draftsmen and inventors — "real cloak-and-dagger guys," says Fred Marra, 78, with a hearty laugh.
He is sitting in the food court at the Danbury Fair mall, where a group of retired co-workers from the former Perkin-Elmer Corp. gather for a weekly coffee. Gray-haired now and hard of hearing, they have been meeting here for 18 years. They while away a few hours nattering about golf and politics, ailments and grandchildren. But until recently, they were forbidden to speak about the greatest achievement of their professional lives.
"Ah, Hexagon," Ed Newton says, gleefully exhaling the word that stills feels almost treasonous to utter in public.
It was dubbed "Big Bird" and it was considered the most successful space spy satellite program of the Cold War era. From 1971 to 1986 a total of 20 satellites were launched, each containing 60 miles of film and sophisticated cameras that orbited the earth snapping vast, panoramic photographs of the Soviet Union, China and other potential foes. The film was shot back through the earth's atmosphere in buckets that parachuted over the Pacific Ocean, where C-130 Air Force planes snagged them with grappling hooks.
The scale, ambition and sheer ingenuity of Hexagon KH-9 was breathtaking. The fact that 19 out of 20 launches were successful (the final mission blew up because the booster rockets failed) is astonishing.
So too is the human tale of the 45-year-old secret that many took to their graves.

This story makes me wonder even more about the spying capabilities of today; what we're not being told, and what propaganda may be forthcoming just before we launch a war on Iran.

Read the rest here.

And so it goes.
*

Boxing Day: Kitteh Style

2011-12-26T18:20:00.001-05:00

Now, when was the last time (if ever) you read or heard the phrase "the bees knees", hmmm?

I couldn't resist.

And so it goes.
*

It's Not There Anymore: Old Man in the Mountain

2011-12-26T07:06:00.003-05:00

I believe it was a ski weekend with friends in New Hampshire and the weather was not cooperative. So we packed up their van and headed to Mount Washington and Franconia in the White Mountains.

The "Old Man in the Mountain" was a natural rock formation carved by glaciers and was a huge draw for tourists from all over the world. It no longer exists. This shot is from 1984, (click to embiggen) when it still did.

Here's the story of the Old Man in the Mountain.

Ah the memories of things no longer in existence. Just another one of those "in my lifetime" things to save, remember, and be grateful for their being documented.

And so it goes.
*

Christmas Present

2011-12-25T09:26:00.002-05:00

And I don't mean a Gift.
It's Christmas morning. Overnight the temperature dropped like a rock to 28' F. Everything is quiet and peaceful. And I cannot get into the spirit. I have lost my HO-HOs this year.

There is no there, there, if you get my drift. As I read a few blogs this morning I found that I am not alone. Many are struggling just to get through the weekend in one piece. Most want it all to go away. I consider myself in this last group.

There are many circumstances involved: job instability, broken relationships, high debt, poor health, work-related drama, and low energy for dealing with it all. The real kicker is that there is no immediate resolution to these issues, waiting it out, wading through it, while the only option available, isn't a joyful experience.

Last week I was sort-of invited to someone's house for dinner today and they promised to call with the time to arrive. No call has come. This has happened before. People get caught up in the festivities and forget to call. I hear this is common when one is single. So, there it is.

No matter. I'd prefer to be on my own today and just do something fun for myself, maybe take a walk around town before preparing my own supper this evening.

Still, I have a roof over my head, food to eat, a job I love and even if I'm not in great health, I am grateful for what I have. I believe that counts as something.

Whatever you're doing this day, I wish you whatever you wish for yourself.

And so it goes.
*

A Loco Christmas Eve Day

2011-12-24T23:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the experiment wasn't a dismal failure, but the locosguys won't be opening next Christmas eve - even for lunch. As you can see Darryl (right) and I (left) were elves of the day - he ran the bar and I took care of the dining room. And that's Joe in the middle (a rose between 2 thorns, he said) with the big red bow. (Click the image to embiggen, if you wish.) Although the diehard customers brought good cheer to the day, it wasn't what one would call a success. A lot of work, kitchen staff, front end staff and bar.

God knows we worked hard enough to make it happen. I posted ads every day on various networks. Newspaper sites were included and received phone calls about the day's specials. Didn't seem to be enough.

Still, I was pleasantly surprised by Joe's mom who decided to make perogies for those of us who love them and can't get them here. She loves to make them and does so 2 or 3 times a year. It's a lot of time consuming hard work, but she says that she enjoys the process, when the urge strikes her. I hope it strikes again around Easter next year.

It's past my bedtime, so I'll wish you all a Happy Christmas and shutdown this monster.

And so it goes.
*

Scrooge-Like Caturday

2011-12-24T17:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Christmas, anyway.

And so it goes.
*

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: music video

2011-12-23T22:03:00.000-05:00

No, it's not that I am a big Kenny G. fan. This video was obviously directed by a film buff. It features scenes from classic Christmas movies from Hollywood's Golden Age. With the big surprise being the projectionist played by none other than the wonderful Burgess Meredith. This appears to be one of his last film appearances and he is a joy to watch. Enjoy.

Next up, a little bourbon-spiked eggnog and a good night's sleep.

And so it goes.
*

Holdman Christmas Lights 2010

2011-12-23T19:37:00.000-05:00

Having followed this guy's lighting designs for years, I believe he has outdone himself with this one from 2010. He's synchronized the sounds to the lights perfectly. This is his longest video yet. And he has a special offer, too: The complete Holdman Christmas Light Display for 2010 after a fresh snow storm. By request I am now offering this on DVD when you make a $10 donation to Make-a-Wish. Go to http://www.holdman.com/christmas/dvd

I can only imagine what his 2011 display/show will be like.

And so it goes.
*

Straight No Chaser: Christmas Can-Can.

2011-12-22T19:24:00.001-05:00

Another video from those talented guys, Straight No Chaser. They manage to incorporate the 2 other major seasonal holidays, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa, in the piece, as well. That should fuel the fires at FOX news and their imaginary "War on Christmas" bloviating. Great fun. Enjoy.

There are two large Christmas parties at the restaurant at lunch tomorrow, so I will probably view this again before I leave for work, if only to get more into the mood.

And so it goes.
*

Preserving the Past & Lothlórien

2011-12-21T21:36:00.000-05:00

It's been a month since I began scanning thousands of 35mm slides and saving many of them in JPG format. It was an addictive process and just identifying any given situation was an interesting challenge. Well, that's over. Some situations I cannot recall from memory, but a few images were worth saving, and so they were.

Slide scanning is finished. Now the real work begins; clean up, restoration, colour correction; all lies ahead. This one I call "Lothlórien" is a place I visited many times over the years and it always reminded me of that magical forest in LOTR. It was a place of peace; the only sounds were of the birds, rushing water in the nearby stream, and not-yet fallen leaves rustling in the wind. Magical.

I won't say where it is/was because it may not be there anymore. Sort of like the original.

The work will not get underway soon. I will not have a day off until January 3, 2012, so that puts a damper on any of these activities. Still, the images are scanned and saved and there is the rest of the winter months to work on them. It's all good.

And so it goes.
*

GRN to BP: We'll show you ours if you show us yours:

2011-12-20T20:13:00.003-05:00

I suppose flinging huge amounts of money into false advertising has helped BP wash some of the oil stains from their reputation, but only for the easily duped and willful rubes. There's this:

Restoration Project Priorities for NRDA and the Gulf's Future
A year and a half into the BP disaster, restoration comes too slow. The Coast Guard has declared the Coast "clean," Congress has not yet directed BP's fines to the Gulf, and we rely on the laws written for Alaskans against Exxon to restore the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the lack of action, the only new initiative is the $1 billion early restoration settlement that BP has agreed to, in order to lessen its future fines under the Natural Resources Damage Assessment, or NRDA.
Just as trustees must massage an out-of-date law to bring BP to the table, many states are working with existing projects and programs. But are these projects being prioritized so that the appropriate solutions to BP’s oil are picked? This agreement allows BP a lot of power over NRDA dollars—how do we know the Gulf will not be shorted?
Following the Gulf Future Action Plan, a working group of activists and community leaders from each of the five states has evaluated hundreds of NRDA projects according to the Gulf Future goals: ensuring Public Health, rebuilding the Environment, developing a sustainable Economy, Monitoring the damage, and Participation in the restoration process.
In the last weeks, this working group has released "Sunshine on the Gulf," a report on what projects are slated for early NRDA monies and why. The report uses prioritization criteria that make our needs as a Gulf community transparent, for the sake of project managers and trustees alike.
One purpose of the report is to show how easy it is to be transparent. Second is to show that coastal communities are not just a check box, to hold meetings at, to be spoken down to by public relations staff. We demand conversations, not just interactive web sites. Coastal communities demand input into the process—the only way to ensure the process works for us. We would be fools to trust the institutions that led us into the Deepwater Horizon Disaster.

This may be getting old to some of you, but a healthy Gulf of Mexico with its diverse population of sea life, is important to this nation and the world.

Read it all here.

And so it goes.

40,000 Visitors in 4 Years.

2011-12-20T06:10:00.003-05:00

Who'da Thunk it? Not me. Not in my wildest dreams.

It may not seem like a lot to some, but to me and this humble little piece of my heart, it means so much.

And the people I've come to know and love... who could have imagined that? You are all a great treasure. Your wit, humor, support, suggestions, and caring are a combined force that sustains me to this very day.

I hope to get to meet at least some of you in person. This new life of mine is far better because of your being a part of it. I mean that with all my heart. Many thanks.

More later.
*

Holiday People-Watching

2011-12-19T19:57:00.000-05:00

The host station is at the very front of the restaurant and with the huge ceiling-to-floor doors that slide open in summer, there is a great view of the main drag (Rehoboth Avenue) as well as the post office across the street.

I love to people-watch anytime, but this season is especially fun. As people walk by the front doors bundled up, carrying gifts to shops and restaurants, or packages for mailing at the post office there is a candid view for me to marvel at (good and bad - positive and sad) every minute of the day.

Watching the reaction of some people to those struggling with their bundles is very enlightening and offers a look into the mindset of the individuals involved.

An agile young person may leap-frog past an elderly lady trudging up the PO steps with a large box and not even hold the door for her. The next person may hold the door for someone who can barely see over the stack of packages they are about to send through the mail.

A woman walking past the restaurant with a stack of wrapped gifts is suddenly hit by a gust of wind scattering her lovely gifts all over the walkway and street and 3 other people walking by scramble to salvage her gifts before they fly away or get run over by a passing automobile.

I've watched this tableau for days and after my experience (and long wait) at the post office today, I paid even closer attention. Being told that for the holidays the windows opened at 8:30 am, and since I was to be at work at 9, figured it was a good idea to beat the crowds of last minute mailings; arrived at 8:15 to discover the windows opened at regular time - 9 am. Oh well, I decided to hang out and read the newspaper - took off coat and hat, and enjoyed the warmth of the building. Two others arrived a few minutes later and had totally opposite reactions to the situation. One pitched a hissy fit and screamed a bit before leaving the building. The other, thinking as I had, set down her boxes behind me and worked at a crossword puzzle.

Variations of this scenario played out for the 45 minutes as the line grew longer, fewer people pitched fits and simply left annoyed. The rest of us started conversations and some recognized me from the restaurant. One woman asked me to watch her purse and 3 boxes so she could retrieve another one that a friend had just brought to curb-side. Now, how many people would trust a total stranger with such a task? Only in Rehoboth!

By 9:05 am, my business was concluded and I was at the restaurant, but being fascinated by the morning's events, watched the PO comings & goings; the courtesy and arrogance; the happy faces and the grim ones all day. Yes, it was a rather slow lunch day.

Happy to report the courtesy and happy face crowd won the day - hands down. And that is as it should be.

And so it goes.
*

Salsoul Christmas Jollies: "Merry Christmas All"

2011-12-19T06:19:00.003-05:00

Yes, today this is beyond CAMP, but what a wonderful dance-fest this was in the 70s. If you don't know the Salsoul Orchestra, well, shame on you. Please return your GAY card immediately. This should get you started. SALSOUL Orchestra. Enjoy:

There's more where this came from.

An so it goes.
*

Christmas Jazz from the Best

2011-12-17T18:41:00.000-05:00

"Christmastime in New Orleans" by Louis Armstrong.

This recording is addictive. Yes, it's pretty corny and dated (there ain't been Jazz on Basin Street in a very long time), but I Love Pops. He's just the best.

And so it goes.
*

Post-Holiday Party Caturday

2011-12-17T06:01:00.002-05:00

Haven't we all been there, at least once?

More later.
*

Holiday Breads, December 2000

2011-12-15T06:36:00.002-05:00

I miss baking bread most of all but there is no space here to do so. There is nothing like warm fresh bread dripping with butter and jam to jump-start your morning. But, maybe that's just me. Of course, I could use the bread-maker, but it's not the same as a good old Kitchen Aid mixer.. Still and all, this is a nice memory.

More later.
*

The Staff Holiday Party

2011-12-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

I didn't look forward to going out at 6 pm last evening, or thrilled to attend the staff party at work. I worked around the apartment all day, doing chores, laundry and general cleaning. That kept my mind off the inevitable until it got dark at around 4:30 and I knew I had to make a decision.

I did.

And no, it was not to have a cocktail! So, there.

Put on a holiday music CD, dragged my tired self into the shower, then found myself singing or humming the songs playing in the other room. Shaved and found something appropriate, "donned my gay apparel" consisting of wheat jeans, mock turtleneck, vest sweater accesorized with a small pin...A little teddy bear in a red stocking.

As I set out into the dark night the old anxiety returned and I almost turned back. Just kept putting one foot in front of the other and arrived holding my breath dreading what was to come.

I haven't been in large social groups since the breakup 6 years ago. I haven't been invited to any, to tell the truth, and I've lost confidence when in a large group. Used to be at ease in most any situation, not anymore. I know, I know, these are people I work with and for, so it wasn't like a bunch of strangers were lying in wait. Only co-workers and a few I'd like to call friends.

There was music being played by a DJ; lovely full orchestra arrangements of holiday classics and I began to relax and enjoy the sounds as my mood began to change. Walked into the bar to find Darryl (one of the LocoGuys) behind it who smiled, wished me Merry Christmas and set a golden margarita in front of me. I was a bit surprised.

When I found Joe (the other DLGuy) everything fell into place. They didn't hire caterers for the event. They did EVERYTHING themselves. Joe did the prepping, cooking, and baking while Darryl stocked the wine bar, filled coolers with favourite beers, and held court at the bar all evening. Everyone was shocked by this at first, but it actually worked out very well. They had as much fun as we did and since it was staff and spouses only, they knew everyone and what they liked to eat and drink.

GM Linda (the wee Irish Lass) arrived, sidled up to me with a devilish grin and a twinkle in her eyes, to say that she'd be making a special Irish treat (read that as drink) after the dinner.

The dinner: A lavish setup in the back, private dining room consisted of Chicken cordon bleu, homemade spinach/cheese ravioli, pineapple baked ham, 3 different salads, shrimp pate, puffed chicken wings (don't ask!), rolls, and so many different desserts that the dentists in these parts will be kept busy for years to come. Honestly, I took a tiny bit of each dish and it was all so rich I could hardly finish what I had taken. Needless to say, I had no dessert. But then again, I seldom do, anyway.

Fortunately, plastic dinnerware and flatware was chosen for the evening, so we cleaned our dinner places, dumped the garbage, (hey! we're restaurant people!) and resumed the festivities.

Joe and Darryl had one more surprise. Gifts! Everyone received a large red shopping bag stuffed with green tissue paper. (See the image above.) Each bag contained a soft fleece pullover hoodie, blue with gold accents***, in our exact size, thank you very much. I have learned that there is little about their staff that they do not know. At least the important things like clothing sizes and fave foods, kids needs, stuff like that. They thanked us for our work and made us (at least myself) feel very appreciated.

Talked with and got to know more of the various wives, husbands, partners, etc. Finally Linda, (the dear) cornered me at the end of the bar where she had arranged about 8 of those large red Solo plastic cups - that hold about 20 oz. - and with that devilish grin of hers, thrust one cup into my hands. The liquid was dark, the aroma heavenly. She passed the others to those selected (or dared) to participate, raised her cup and said, "Merry Christmas and Thank You All!" There were straws in each cup so we took a tiny, hesitant sip only to have our eyes pop open thanks to the pleasant sensation the unknown concoction left on our tastebuds. (I hope to find out the exact ingredients, if she's willing to share.)

Linda giggled, took another sip from her cup and warned, "only have one of these, since this is your first experience." Well, I already had that golden margarita followed by 2 glasses of wine with dinner, so I was feeling no pain by that time. We stood there sipping, talking, oooohing and aaaaahing over the drink, as it did its thing and I realized it was time to walk home while I still could. Linda offered a ride, but I needed the fresh air and rather enjoyed the quiet of the night.

The sky was clear and the stars bright as I made my way back to the apartment. As I brushed my teeth I thought of how wonderful the night had been. How comfortable everyone was - I was - so happy that I didn't turn back for home a few hours earlier.

More like this in the new year, please!

***A picture of the hoodie will be posted as soon as I finish scanning the slides and have a chance to get a good shot of it.

And so it goes.
*

HMS Ocean Crew: "All I Want for Christmas"

2011-12-14T06:19:00.005-05:00

This is just so awesome. All these beautiful British navy guys and gals put this together as they steamed home for the holidays. There's even a wink & nod to gays in the royal navy at one point, see if you catch it.

From the YouTube stats:

After lots of time away last year (214 days) -- planned for 7 week deployment exercise with other nations
Diverted to Libya and further operations
Back 9 Dec after 7½ months away - 225 days with 176 at sea
400 people onboard (at peak during the amphibious exercises just under 900 onboard but approx 650 during Op Ellamy)
Steamed just over 40,000 miles
Burned approx 6,000 tonnes of fuel
Operated 16 different type of aircraft off the deck

Realities of deploying:
15 babies born while the ship has been away (fathers did get home to see mum and baby)
5 people were sent home so they didn't miss their own weddings.
1 sailor whose son's third birthday is on homecoming. Family meeting ship

Ships company have missed:
Summer holidays.
Children's exam results
Children finishing school and starting university
The Padre missed his daughter's graduation.

Wishing them all a happy and peace-filled holiday with family and friends.

And so it goes.
*

Ann Druyan Talks About Her Husband, Carl Sagan

2011-12-13T13:26:00.000-05:00

I just came across this on the Intertubes today and it touched my heart. Yes, I was/am a Sagan fan; "COSMOS" remains one of my favourite series of all time. Don't know when Druyan wrote this, but the date stamp on the webpage read 09/2010.

“When my husband died, because he was so famous & known for not being a believer, many people would come up to me — it still sometimes happens — & ask me if Carl changed at the end & converted to a belief in an afterlife. They also frequently ask me if I think I will see him again. Carl faced his death with unflagging courage & never sought refuge in illusions. The tragedy was that we knew we would never see each other again. I don’t ever expect to be reunited with Carl. But, the great thing is that when we were together, for nearly twenty years, we lived with a vivid appreciation of how brief & precious life is. We never trivialized the meaning of death by pretending it was anything other than a final parting. Every single moment that we were alive & we were together was miraculous — not miraculous in the sense of inexplicable or supernatural. We knew we were beneficiaries of chance… That pure chance could be so generous & so kind… That we could find each other, as Carl wrote so beautifully in Cosmos, you know, in the vastness of space & the immensity of time… That we could be together for twenty years. That is something which sustains me & it’s much more meaningful…

The way he treated me & the way I treated him, the way we took care of each other & our family, while he lived. That is so much more important than the idea I will see him someday. I don’t think I’ll ever see Carl again. But I saw him. We saw each other. We found each other in the cosmos, and that was wonderful.“

– Ann Druyan, talking about her husband, Carl Sagan

She's quite a woman.

And so it goes.
*

Me and My Tarot...

2011-12-11T17:54:00.002-05:00

Reunited after all these years. What a great holiday gift.

There are still large Rubbermaid Tubs containing various items of seasonal clothing stacked in the walk-in closet and as I rummaged through one this evening I found my 2 fave Tarot Decks. In my previous life they were to be destroyed, so I suppose that is why they were hidden all these years. During those blurry, whirlwind years, I had forgotten about them entirely - Cortisone can do that to one - and now I am so pleasantly surprised I can't stand it.

The breakup happened 6 years ago and I had not used them for years before that, so there is a lot to catch up on. It's a long sordid story that I would rather not remember or relate. Leave it.

This is the Thoth Deck designed by Aleister Crowley. He initially designed them as illustrations for "The Book of Thoth" here are more samples of their beauty, though even a high quality scan doesn't do them justice.

The Devil.

Six of Cups.

The Fool.

The Hanged Man

The Priestess.

I have much to re-learn during these cold winter months. Words cannot describe how I am feeling right now.

And so it goes.
*

Holiday Music, Marathons & Determination

2011-12-10T20:17:00.001-05:00

I was positively clairvoyant about the holiday music. Yes, it came out of the speakers all day today. There was a new one in the silly mix, too. "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" - I don't know where it came from and I do not want to know. OK?

Thanks to the Marathon (runners and volunteers) we enjoyed a busy and satisfying lunch business. Since the Marathon stepped off at 7 am and ended shortly after 2 pm, we enjoyed the company of many runners, and their families and supporters. My, they are a cheerful bunch. They loved the town and the food (some from as far away as Maine & Wisconsin) and were happily surprised by the service and friendly atmosphere of the restaurant.

Speaking of the Marathon I want to share a story of the last person to finish today. She, family, and supporters were most jubilant when they entered the restaurant. The runner was greeted with applause and cheers as she entered and I soon found out why. She was the last entrant to cross the finish line, as I said, but this was also a goal she set for herself only 2 years ago. She was 56 years old, had been declared morbidly obese, on the edge of becoming a diabetic (no one in her family had diabetes) and she found it hard to breathe. She began an exercise routine, mostly walking, and a year ago entered a 5K race for a charity. Because friends and family believed in her, she raised quite a respectable sum and finished that race. Quitting was not an option.

Today at 58, she has lost weight, toned her large frame and finished a 26+ mile Marathon. I know this sounds like something you'd see on Oprah, but you had to see the faces in the room. I bought her table a pitcher of margaritas and she gave me a big hug. I think I began to feel the spirit of Christmas in my heart through that hug.

Speaking of Christmas spirit, the staff Christmas party is coming up this Tuesday evening. The restaurant is closed to the public and staff and spouses from both eateries are welcome to attend. I've been vacillating (not feeling the cheer of the season) but I may choose to attend, after all. Not sure, yet.

And in all, a wonderful day filled with good people, good food, competition, friendship, challenge, support, and a spirit of community.

And so it goes.
*

A Fosse Caturday

2011-12-10T05:46:00.001-05:00

Good Bob Fosse moves, no?

More later.
*

Bah, Hum-Fuck!

2011-12-09T19:47:00.001-05:00

That was the text inside a greeting card way back in the 1970s and I have always loved it. There was another one with a smirking elf sitting under a tree on the cover, with the text inside reading, "meet me under the Christmas tree and I'll kiss you beneath the balls."

Anyway...

I can't seem to get into the holiday spirit this year. It all seems so shallow, forced, desperate, and contrived. Now more than ever.

The other day as I ran errands I noticed that the parking lots of shopping centers were empty, as were those of the super markets, and (of all places) Walmart. Every stop was like a ghost town with only 1 or 2 checkout stations open and not a person in line.

Of course, it made my work a breeze and with the various bored sales staff vying for my attention at every stop, I was finished and back home in time for lunch. I will not complain. I dread running any errands involving retail during the season, but this was something completely different. Eerie and a bit unsettling.

For the moment, at least, there is no holiday music at the restaurant, so I am spared multiple listenings to dogs barking "Jingle Bells", or that country fave "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer", the 60 year-old Chipmunks, that most annoying "Dominic The Donkey", and all the other kitschy cute tunes of the season. I fear that will all end tomorrow; there will be a marathon in town and we have reservations for huge groups celebrating their holiday get togethers with us.

I purchased a bottle of the best eggnog around these parts, a small bottle of bourbon, and will mix the two - for medicinal purposes, of course - to jump start my ho-ho-ho attitude, if necessary.

BTW, thanks for the comments and private emails regarding the back pain (from yesterday's post) and suggestions to help alleviate some of the pain. I appreciate your input and caring.

And so it goes.
*

How I Feel Tonight

2011-12-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

The back pain is horrible and trying to get into a comfortable position - standing or sitting - seems to be impossible. Time for a heat pad, a few aspirin, and bed.

And so it goes.

Diverse, Interesting Quotes Reverberate Today

2011-12-08T05:55:00.001-05:00

Found these images while scanning and thought they were important to reconsider in today's political climate.

Foucault's Names Project Quilt Panel says it well.

Part of Washington's Farewell Address. Should be required reading of every police officer in this country.

As always, click the images to embiggen.

And so it goes.
*

Hollywood: The Silent Era

2011-12-07T19:26:00.001-05:00

It's back and available on YouTube for anyone curious about the reality of the silent screen years, its directors, stars, and politics. Fascinating series. This is episode 1 of the 13 part series and it's a good intro into that long lost world. Enjoy.

I have the entire series on VHS (aging badly, I might add) and happy that someone was able to post these almost lost gems of early silent cinema.
H/T Adrastos @ First Draft.
And so it goes.
*

Commie Muppets Theme with OK Go!

2011-12-07T16:02:00.000-05:00

Let's see, Fozzie Bear as Boris and Miss Piggy as Natasha? Nah.

A funny bit of nostalgia as Fox Noise commits another suicide. Right? I mean, you have to laugh after a while or the brain will become pea soup. So, with that in mind, enjoy.

And so it goes.
*

The Battle I Face

2011-12-06T14:28:00.001-05:00

If you click the image to embiggen you will see that the film has aged badly, has reticulated (quite visible in the sky behind me) and colours have gone muddy. Ektachrome film. I like the picture and I guess I saved it in the nick of time, as we say. (Yes, it's Paris.)

The image above was shot a decade earlier yet shows none of the damage of the top shot. Again, Ektachrome film. Yes, you may click to embiggen. (Lambertville, New Jersey shot across the Delaware River from New Hope, Pennsylvania.)

I'm making progress - slowly - and every day I have new images to see that trigger memories of happy times in years gone by. However, some are leaving me befuddled as I cannot remember the exact location of the shot; the only references are the date stamps on all Kodak processed film. Bless them for that. All in all, the film processed in Kodak labs has held up far better than those done by local or department store labs.

Back to the ~~battle~~, 'er fun. It IS fun, too.

And so it goes.
*

New Trevor Project Video

2011-12-05T20:54:00.000-05:00

To prevent teen suicide and shown at the Trevor Project's gala honoring Lady Gaga.

h/t JMG

And so it goes.
*

5 on the Fifth - Finale.

2011-12-05T05:57:00.006-05:00

Stephen Chapman over at “The State Of The Nation UK”, has had a monthly feature called “Five on the Fifth” in which bloggers would participate by posting five photos on their blog and exchanging links with his. The five pictures, taken in the days leading up to the fifth of the month, could be random or follow his suggested theme, which this final time happens to be Winter Weekend.

Since it has been anything but 'wintery' here (day time temperatures in the 60s F, and overnight lows in the 40s) I've chosen to stay with the theme, but insert images from years ago. I have been scanning my old slide collection to digital format and some of these happen to fit the theme quite well.

So, here goes.

Ice storm aftermath.

Icy Berries. The wildlife was not pleased.

Ice Boating on the Lake

One very cold Ice Boat Competition Judge.

Delaware Water Gap between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

While this is the last 5 on the 5th challenge, I hope to participate in whatever Stephen has in mind for us next month. Let us make it a happy and creative new year. Thanks Stephen.

Now go on over to his place and see what others have created for this event. HERE.

And so it goes,
*

Caturday at the Movies

2011-12-03T07:06:00.000-05:00

Of course, in real life kittehs can't open their legs that way. But hey, it's duh movies!!!

More later.

Thought for the Day.

2011-12-02T08:40:00.000-05:00

Much more difficult to forgive. And I see too much hate lately.

Just my two-cents.

More later.
*

Our Own Geno - a Rehoboth Beach Icon?

2011-12-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's true.

Along with Darryl, one of the locoguys, Geno is our regular evening barman and one of the best out there, if I may say so. This appeared in our local weekly newspaper:

It’s the eternal question that has plagued mankind for centuries: Where can you go in Rehoboth to talk Phillies baseball, Eagles football, Flyers hockey, college athletics from Villanova and St. Joseph’s, local gossip, current weather - and pretty much anything having to do with the Kentucky Derby? Oh, and don’t forget to include a frosty margarita (salt, please) and a mountain of nachos.
If you answered “Dos Locos,” you’d be partially right. If you said, “Dos Locos with Gene 'Geno' Harris behind the bar,” then (insert cool buzzer sound here) you hit the jackpot.
Geno’s been a sports nut for as long as he can remember. His parents and grandparents owned The Short Stop, a sports-themed eatery in Stone Harbor, N.J., and a favorite hangout for baseball fans and players alike. Geno grew up there, sweeping floors and hobnobbing with vacationing Philadelphia sports glitterati. His father coached high school athletics and now works for the Phillies in their front office.
Not to be outdone, mom not only taught school, but coached girls' baseball and field hockey. In fact, don’t even try to outdo her: She was crowned Miss Atlantic City, Miss New Jersey and was first runner-up in the Miss America Pageant!
Though Geno loved sports, he dreamed of a career in retail. The clothing store he managed in Baltimore opened two places here in the early ‘80s (Saeno and Passport). He managed both until he moved to Ft. Lauderdale to open his own stores. His Rehoboth branch, Effxx, specialized in trendy sportswear and was located in the long-gone cut-through where Browseabout Books is now. He marketed himself by supplying fashionable logo shirts to high-profile bartenders and sports celebrities.
As is often the case with resort retail, things eventually came to an end. That ordeal coincided with the termination of a long-time relationship, so he returned to Philadelphia to rethink and regroup. Nothing if not resilient, Geno returned to Rehoboth in the early ‘90s to take a job at Mano’s restaurant on Wilmington Avenue. After the unfortunate fire (from which Mano’s never really recovered), he ended up as bar manager at Cloud 9, learning the trade from then bar manager Chad Awkland. They became great friends: “Chad taught me the art of mixing drinks - especially how to make a really good martini.”
As fate would have it, Geno returned to the former Mano’s location - now occupied by Darryl Ciarlante and Joe Zuber’s Dos Locos, fresh from the tiny storefront on First Street (where Lily Thai is now). As Geno honed his mixology skills behind the bar with Darryl, he silently chafed at the all-day all-night Lifetime Channel on the bar TVs. He had had his fill of Dorothy and the gang’s "Golden Girls" reruns, and switched over to sports every time Darryl looked the other way. He got caught: “What are you trying to do, turn this into a Mexican sports bar?”
Fast-forward to the present: The multiple HD screens at Dos Locos’ current location on Rehoboth Avenue are never without baseball, football, basketball, soccer, hockey and horse racing. (Before he moved to Rehoboth, Geno was a cashier at Laurel Park and Pimlico racetracks.) Customers make a point of quizzing him on the latest odds, scores, winners and losers. “I like to think of myself as the ambassador for this town,” he says proudly. “I know what the sports lovers want to know when they’re at the beach. I even stay up on the weather - and I make a phenomenal margarita.”
Dos Locos plays host to a wide variety of guests, from vacationing families with kids to singles, couples and local barflies alike. Geno’s legendary Martini List has morphed into a rogues' gallery of favorites, including his exclusive chocolate espresso martini. Geno tells me that everybody who is anybody in his and his partner’s families lives and works nearby. “Family has anchored us here,” he beams. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
Those of us who love to slip into Dos Locos for a spicy burrito, a frosty beverage and the latest Phillies stats couldn’t agree more.

Cape Gazette.

And so it goes.
*

World AIDS Day 2011

2011-12-01T06:11:00.013-05:00

Comes with a slick, new message. Let's hope people are listening and are willing to work to make this slogan a reality.

If you are in RB this evening, the gathering and candlelight walk begins at 6 pm at the bandstand. All Saints Episcopal Church will host a service of remembrance and reading of the names submitted by those who have lost loved ones to AIDS over the years.

More later.
*

Local Broadcast News is Making Us Stupid

2011-11-30T17:56:00.001-05:00

Great column by Tina Dupuy. This is what passes for 'news' in many local markets these days. Tina really nails it and please click the link below to read the entire piece. It may make you angry, or put you to sleep until the next Lohan or Bieber spectacle hits the airwaves, your choice.

“The media,” as it’s referred to, is not a monolith. We don’t just have one channel, one paper or one site with one nefarious dude pulling levers. “The media” consists of books, newspapers, magazines, television, billboards, radio, blogs, vlogs, ebooks, webcasts, podcasts and movies etc. The media is a vast and (kind of) diverse way of communicating information.
Let’s talk news. And where the majority of Americans – as in over 50 percent (by most estimates) – still get their news – from their local nightly news show. Any discussion about how unaware Americans are when it comes to news needs to have its finger pointed at the proper culprit: Your local broadcast.
Yes, everyone hates Congress but loves their Congressman. Everyone thinks “the media” is biased, wrong and awful – but tunes in to their local anchor with admiration and trust. A pox on them all, except our guy…
Last week a PublicMind FDU poll went viral with the line, “Fox News [viewers] are five-points more likely than those who watch no news at all, to incorrectly say it’s the U.S. that is bailing out European countries.” The under-reported story (buried lede as we call it in “the media”) was of those polled 67 percent said they watched their local news. And that could explain why 36 percent said they didn’t know who was bailing out Europe and only 30 percent gave the correct answer (Germany).
Did you know that Iceland is having a revolution as a direct result of the economic meltdown centered in the U.S. housing market? How about Syria being sanctioned by the Arab League? Vladamir Putin has gotten himself back on the ballot in Russia?
And it’s not just the “reading off BBC headlines” news the local news misses – it’s the actual local news: Investigative news in the public interest. News about the economy, politics and local issues.
Your local news opts to put a camera in the face of a crime victim and be a staple of “fear porn” rather than ever tackle difficult segments holding the school board/city council/mayor/state legislature/governor accountable for anything.
Why can I assume without sitting down and watching a week of your local newscast that they’re more than likely gleefully doing a recap of what happened on Dancing With the Stars/American Idol/Survivor tonight? Because your local broadcast news is more than likely ratings driven. And because of the last couple of decades of ratings driven local news our Edward R. Murrows have all become Harvey Levins.

And I thought it was just my take on the lousy news coverage.

The rest is at Tina's site, HERE.

And so it goes.
*

A Break & Roasted Brisket

2011-11-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

View from forest floor at picnic grounds near New Hope, PA - 1979. Kodachrome original.

Tuesday was a productive day, even with the rain and wind. Or, maybe because of it. Had to go out briefly to pick up a few things at the supermarket and got a good soaking in the process. There was a sale on fresh brisket, so I picked up one and decided it's roasting would give the apartment a cheery flavor on an otherwise miserable day.

Got out of the wet clothes, into some warm sweats, put Louis Armstrong on the player, and set about the business of slide scanning the rest of the morning. Five trays down and I blazed through everything up to, and including, 1979.

Took a lunch break and prepared the brisket for the oven. Brisket requires a long cooking time, so it was timed to coincide with dinner hour. Rubbed it all over with olive oil, salt, black & white peppers, and sweet paprika. Topped it was diced onion, celery and tomatoes, then the secret ingredient. Put it in the oven and set the timer for 3.5 hours and returned to the scanner.

It was during that time I discovered that the printer toner was low and needed to be replaced ASAP. I took it out and rocked it left & right hopefully getting a few extra pages out of it, and ordered a new one which should arrive in a week, or so.

December is a rough month financially. Automobile Insurance payment adds to the already squeezed wallet, but toner is a necessity I am not prepared to do without. So I bit the bullet on that one.

When dinner was ready I turned off the scanner, put on some music, poured a glass of wine and did serious damage to that brisket. Which was really good, BTW.

Today promises to be better, weather-wise, albeit a bit colder than lately. The city Christmas Tree is up and maybe I'll take a walk over after sunset and steal a few night shots.

As for now, the decade of the 80s is waiting to reveal its surprises so I am off to slave my tits over a hot scanner!!! Don't feel too sorry for me, really, it's an emotional roller coaster and I'm enjoying the journey for the most part. Pleasure and pain. It's very confusing at times, but what a ride.

More later.
*

Stonehenge Discovery Suggests Site Was Sacred Earlier Than Previously Thought

2011-11-29T15:09:00.000-05:00

This is fascinating news. Though for some, not really new at all. This is one of my favorite places in the world. Image is from a recently scanned Kodachrome slide. The photo is, in fact, one of my own from my last visit to the site.

Newly discovered evidence of two large pits on the east and west sides of Stonehenge suggest that the area may have been recognized as a sacred site at a much earlier date than previously thought.
Archaeologists with the University of Birmingham believe the holes could have held stones, wooden posts or fires to mark the sunrise and sunset for a "processional route" used to celebrate the summer solstice before the well-known larger stones were erected.
The pits were found along the Cursus pathway, "two parallel linear ditches with banks either side closed off at the end," according to the BBC. Researchers also found a gap in the middle of the northern side of the Cursus, indicating a possible entry point for processions.
The Independent explains how researchers arrived at the new procession theory:
..The 'eureka moment' came when the computer calculations revealed that the midway point (the noon point) on the route aligned directly with the [center] of Stonehenge, which was precisely due south...
..The 'due south' noon alignment of the 'procession' route's mid-point could not occur if the Cursus itself had different dimensions, the design of that monument has to have been conceived specifically to attain that mid-point alignment with the [center] of Stonehenge.
The pits were discovered using non-invasive mapping techniques during a 2010 survey conducted by researchers from the University of Birmingham and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology in Vienna.
The survey, known as the Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project, strives to "visually recreate the extraordinary prehistoric landscape surrounding Stonehenge," according to the news release.

More later.
*

Camera Drowns but Images Live

2011-11-28T22:58:00.001-05:00

Great story. I guess digital has advantages over film after all.

Camera Lost at Sea Returned with the Help of Social Networking

Just how tough is your average DSLR memory card? Apparently tough enough to survive a year at the bottom of the ocean. Naturalist and aspiring photographer Markus Thompson was scuba diving in Deep Bay near Vancouver, British Columbia, when he found a Canon EOS 1000D. Curious, he brought it to the surface and took ut the SD card, and was actually able to recover about 50 photos.

With a bounty of pictures and a desire to find the camera's owner, Thompson took to social networking for help. He posted his find to Google+, including pictures of the camera itself as well as the photos he was able to recover from the SD card. "Approximately 50 pictures on the card from a family vacation. If you know a fire fighter from British Columbia whose team won the Pacific Regional Firefit competition, has a lovely wife and (now) 2 year old daughter - let me know. I would love to get them their vacation photos," he posted.
The social network's hive mind then went to work. Details on just who the camera belonged to were slim at first, but after social network sleuths began scouring the photos, more information began to surface. The camera contained images that were shot at a region firefighting competition, and appeared to suggest that the camera's owner was on the winning team. After comparing faces to those on various websites that covered the event, the possibilities were narrowed down.

Read the rest HERE. It's a fun story.

And so it goes.

Restoration or Fade-to-Black?

2011-11-28T19:18:00.000-05:00

Some of you may recognize the painting, but not the person. The year is 1977. (You may click the image to embiggen.) 142 West 4th Street, NYC. A very happy time.

Although this historical excavation could have gone back another 10 years, in retrospect, I am grateful the available slides begin in 1976. Some are beginning to fade-to-black badly. Since they were not stored under climate-controlled conditions, many are losing their colour.

The scanner can handle 4 frames at a time; previewing and correction takes time. Granted there are plenty from the previous life that will not be saved making the progress a bit faster, but the time spent tweaking is substantial and I can imagine this project lasting far into the winter, and that's OK.

I am viewing and reliving some long forgotten trips, outings, street fairs, holiday celebrations and just days of shooting for fun, mostly around NYC. I am grateful for having what I do and will save and re-sample as many as I can salvage; tossing away the rest. What I can't see is already lost, anyway.

It is also a learning experience to find that all the film developed in Kodak Labs has faired much better than those processed by other, cheaper labs. Glad I shot mostly Kodachrome for the important stuff.

The scanner wasn't a planned purchase, but I'm glad I went for it; I am thrilled by what I am seeing 35 years later.

And so it goes.
*

Let the Purge & Save Begin

2011-11-26T20:31:00.002-05:00

The new (for me) photo/film scanner was waiting for me as I came home from work. I was thrilled. After settling in, the box was opened to find exactly the same packaging care was given to a refurbished unit as to a new one. After removing all contents and following instructions for installation, I was amazed to find the unit was cosmetically flawless, so the initial failure would likely have been an internal, technical glitch which would be repaired by replacing some electronic bit.

It took little time to unpack the unit, install the software, and connect to the computer. Once Windows 7 recognized the software and the unit everything went smoothly. Followed the "quick start" instructions and am now ready to begin scanning slides and transferring them to digital format. Camel hair brush and canned air are at the ready.

The template is in place and I am ready to go. Of course, since I have to be at work early in the morning I will not be scanning more than a few slides, just to get my feet wet and an idea of how the scanner software works; what shortcuts need to be learned. Etc.

I am so excited! Wish me luck.
And so it goes.
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Post Thanksgiving Caturday

2011-11-26T06:07:00.001-05:00

Just like everyone else, thanks to L-Tryptophan.

More later.
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Some Silly from OK Go!

2011-11-25T21:07:00.000-05:00

In need of a little humor and creativity. What more could one ask for? Enjoy.

Time for bed. And so it goes.
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Scan & a Scam

2011-11-24T19:23:00.003-05:00

At the last minute the scanner decision changed. I planned to go with the Ion, though I was still a bit put off by the possibility that the slide handling slot would be difficult for my hands and thumbs to cope with, but an email arrived from the folks at Epson (the only company to reply to technical questions the first go-round) offering the model I was eyeing at a very low cost. It is refurbished, yes, but with a 90-day money back warranty (which can also be applied to the purchase of a new one.) And the price is less than half of a new one.

I talked with the tech/sales person who sent the note and made the deal. Shipping is FREE and the box is scheduled to arrive Saturday. I am thrilled and excited and believe I made the right decision. As I said earlier, something to keep me busy on the long winter nights. And it will be great to see many old faces, a few interesting experimental shots, and good times.

That said, another bit of the ugly was discovered as I began opening boxes labeled slide trays. Wanted to sort by year and get organized for the transfer to run smoothly. Deceit from the previous life reared its head. Many boxes were not marked properly. Though he had written "slide trays" on the outside no trays were found in 5 of the boxes. Only old text books and other junk packed tightly with old pillows and linens - and I do mean OLD! All is awaiting garbage pickup in the morning.

Once all "slide tray" boxes were emptied and sorted by year, the truth was clear. No images before 1976 - the year our relationship began.

I started shooting slide film while working at the NY World's Fair in 1965 and shooting it exclusively by 1968. There are no trays from that period on until 1976. All images of family, friends, trips, outings, vacations, Pride Festivals, and just days playing around NYC in Central Park, or The Cloisters. All the old pictures while growing up and the scrap books, they are all gone. All friends who are gone, who died of AIDS, I have only memories of them now.

I am left with 25 years of slide trays (we went digital in 2002) and nothing more.

It boggles the mind because after moving to this apartment and getting all my things out of storage I found a small box that had been packed with my things by mistake. The box contained his high school diploma, photos of when he did local theatre, high school pictures of friends and cousins and the like. I thought he would like to have those things and contacted a mutual friend asking that he deliver the box to the EX. Which he did. No "thank you" was expected, and none came.

I could have thrown that stuff away, but I didn't. I couldn't. It belonged to him and he had every right to have it. I don't know what to make of this and I am too angry to analyze it right now. I don't think it's even worth the time and effort. It is on his soul.

Just when I thought I had little to be thankful for this year, I realize there is. I can only hope this is the absolute end of anything to do with him and that twisted mind.

I await the arrival of the scanner so the purging and saving process may begin.

And so it goes.
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UC Davis Pepper-Spray Incident Reveals Weakness Up Top

2011-11-23T15:24:00.000-05:00

Matt Taibbi at Rolling Stone nails it yet again. Here's a taste:

(W)hen we abandoned our principles in order to use force against terrorists and drug dealers, the answer to the question, What are we defending? started to change.

The original answer, ostensibly, was, "We are defending the peaceful and law-abiding citizens of the United States, their principles, and everything America stands for."

Then after a while it became, "We’re defending the current population of the country, but we can’t defend the principles so much anymore, because they weigh us down in the fight against a ruthless enemy who must be stopped at all costs."

Then finally it became this: “We are defending ourselves, against the citizens who insist on keeping their rights and their principles.”

What happened at UC Davis was the inevitable result of our failure to make sure our government stayed in the business of defending our principles. When we stopped insisting on that relationship with our government, they became something separate from us.

And we are stuck now with this fundamental conflict, whereby most of us are insisting that the law should apply equally to everyone, while the people running this country for years now have been operating according to the completely opposite principle that different people have different rights, and who deserves what protections is a completely subjective matter, determined by those in power, on a case-by-case basis.

Not to belabor the point, but the person who commits fraud to obtain food stamps goes to jail, while the banker who commits fraud for a million-dollar bonus does not. Or if you accept aid in the form of Section-8 housing, the state may insist on its right to conduct warrantless "compliance check" searches of your home at any time – but if you take billions in bailout aid, you do not even have to open your books to the taxpayer who is the de facto owner of your company.

The state wants to retain the power to make these subjective decisions, because being allowed to selectively enforce the law effectively means they have despotic power. And who wants to lose that?
The UC Davis incident crystallized all of this in one horrifying image. Anyone who commits violence against a defenseless person is lost. And the powers that be in this country are lost.

They’ve been going down this road for years now, and they no longer stand for anything.

All that tricked-up military gear, with that corny, faux-menacing, over-the-top Spaceballs stormtrooper look that police everywhere seem to favor more and more – all of this is symbolic of the increasingly total lack of ideas behind all that force.

It's an insightful and frightening read. It's all HERE.

And so it goes.
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Film Scanners, Cheesy Mac, & Enduring Pain

2011-11-22T12:22:00.001-05:00

I've spent all free time online the past week searching for and reading reviews of film/slide scanners and finally narrowed the list down to 7 brands, all claiming to do a better job than the others, but all with different image quality bells and whistles, and speed. Microtek, HP, Minolta, Ion, Pacific Image, Epson, and Plustek were the finalists.

A few had compatibility issues with Windows 7 that I didn't want to deal with. All came with mixed/good reviews, priced under $100.

I wrote questions to a few companies asking for clarification of details that were vague in the product descriptions and only one answered in detailed layman's terminology. My kind of folks.

Reading the reviews of each was informative and educational. While I do not require extremely high resolution (some slides are up to 40 years old), I do want an image that might be enlarged and printed if I chose to do so. Last night I whittled the list down further, and after re-reading the reviews of those 3, have decided on the one for me. It's green with a fairly high resolution output, not the fastest, but it has manual overrides so tweaking things like colour, dust removal, and back-lit situations will be easier. Other programs can do some of that, but I can do it all at once in the initial scan of the original.

Now on to searching for the best price. At least this hobby will keep me busy over the long winter months to come.

I have today off and it's rainy and dreary, though not cold, outside. I'll be doing some household chores and a bit of cooking, as well. The Plumbing company is due sometime today to change filters and perform annual maintenance on the heating system, so it would be an indoor day, anyway.

Oh, and BTW, that beefy cheesy Mac recipe I made a while back turned out really well. It's based on a high carb recipe that Saints Quarter Back Drew Brees dines on before games and it really knocked my socks off.

CAUTION: Not for the Kraft Mac&Cheese lightweights out there. If you're interested let me know in comments, or by email. I will post it here, or email you personally.

The back and hands are an aggravation in this weather and over night, I discovered a hard lump on my head behind the left ear near a pressure point, so it's likely stress-related. Can you imagine? Stress-related? It is to laugh...hahahahahahaha.Still, it's annoying and painful.

More later.
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Why Police = Pig Again in 2011

2011-11-20T19:19:00.001-05:00

This isn't 1968 or 1969 and information flows instantly nowadays. Unedited, raw. Within minutes the world knew the name and rank of this very rank police...something. I cannot call him a man. Real men do not pepper spray unarmed non-violent people quietly sitting on the ground. No, real men need provocation for such an action.

Each and every time I see this series of images I am outraged beyond words. It's as if he's using bug spray around a picnic area. So trivial, so nonchalant, so laid back because he is not to be stopped. And yes, well, he is quite a porker when it comes down to it.

And I can't help but wonder what a shivering mass of jello he would turn into stripped of all the riot accoutrements. Uniforms do that to some guys.

And so it goes.
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