boo hoo

So, every House republican voted against the stimulus bill, because it did not follow Republican dogma?

Are they totally clueless or totally shameless? I vote for a nasty combination of the two.

good news and bad news

Good:

I got in touch with the amazing people at CorgiAid, Inc. (http://www.corgiaid.org/cart) and they appear to have a cart that will fit Zacky. It he adjusts to it, it could really enhance his quality of life, as his DM progresses over the next few months.

Not so good:

yikes. For a good (not) laugh, check out the comments from the 'skeptics'.

somewhat low productivity today...

Here is our house this morning. The snow seems to be tapering off:


Went for a walk in our neighborhood park with Zacky, who loves the snow.
As I may have previously written, he has a degenerative neurological disease, that is causing him to slowly lose control of his hind legs. We just applied for a cart for him, from these amazing people.

He did pretty well today, though, and was SO happy to be out there walking with me.

Pretty slow work day for me, obviously, so I cleaned my desk. Karen returns from LA tomorrow night.

i should be working...

...instead of enjoying the snow this morning, not to mention this.

Here's the view of our back yard, with the tool shed and my car, taken with my crappy cell-phone camera...

a loud movie

Ben has been after me to see 'The Dark Knight' ever since it came out, and it was just re-released, to our neighborhood IMAX theater. We went to the noon show today.

There were probably no more than 10 people in the giant theater, watching the giant screen, and overwhelmed by the giant speakers pounding out giant sound-effects.

I have to admit that both the writing and photography were pretty darn impressive, and Heath Ledger's Joker truly amazing. It's not the kind of movie I generally love, but I'm happy to have seen it.

It's getting cold out there. Time to fix some dinner and settle in for the evening. If only the echoes of gunshots and other assorted explosions would die down in my head...

don't-do-it-yourself

There was a big wind-storm around here last week - lots of trees down and roofs damaged, mostly in East Multnomah county. However, our renters in Garden Home left a phone message that a couple of shingles had blown off the roof.

I could probably have attempted to do the repair myself, but not only would the work quality be suspect, but Karen would be angry if I fell off the roof and became a quadriplegic. I called a local roofing company and they sent over a young, limber guy, who did the repair in about 45 minutes.

Here's what I didn't have to do this afternoon:

i pass a test

During today's countless moments of significant activity, let me describe one particular minute.

THE SET UP

For months, Ben has been singing the praises of Kenny and Zuk's, a downtown deli. I took him there for lunch today, arriving around 12:10 and the place was crazy with lunchers.

One of Ben's good High School friends (Lincoln HS) works as a counter-man and cashier there. We had our fabulous lunch (1/2 of a pastrami, chopped liver, cole slaw and russian dressing and a bowl of hot borsht for me, and an impossibly large turkey-pastrami sandwich with a mound of fries for Ben), paid, and got ready to leave. On the way out, we stopped to chat with Ben's friend.

Noah asked me if I'd like a complementary dessert, as a Dad-of-a-friend. I instantly turned my eyes to the plate of familiar objects, labeled 'Hamantaschen'.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

Noticing my obvious interest, Noah (not a Jew) asked me, 'poppy or prune'?

I PASS A TEST

Without having to think, I instantly replied, 'poppy, of course'.

THE PROOF

Noah said, "everyone who knows what those are always chooses 'poppy'".

QED


THE SHOCKING EPILOGUE

nice buttery cookie, but too dry

ever get the feeling that your life is boring?

I guess so, compared to these guys.

how sweet it is

Finally reached Zero hour/min/sec.

nice speech

Simultaneously, at its conclusion, I received three phone calls (none of which related to Obama) and one text message (that was).

The poet is speaking now, and nothing seems to rhyme, but it was short.

Just a benediction to go and I can get to work...

finally, it's official

yea!

Actually, Katie Couric just reminded us that Joe Biden was officially the acting president for about 5 minutes.

musical interlude

You can just imagine the millions of people, around the world, thinking to themselves, "c'mon, get on with it", and the folks standing in the cold in DC wondering if they have time to make it to the port-a-potty.

joe biden is in!

May he never be president.

aretha! all right!

Sing it, girl.

rick warren speaking now

Sorry, but the image of all these folks, bowing their heads in apparent prayer to a Big Guy in the Sky is quite embarrassing. What year is this?

Thank you, Jesus.

live-blogging the innauguration coverage

CBS just cut to a shot of the unloading of the moving van, by the White House back door, with the information that folks are hurriedly moving the Obamas' clothes and furniture in right now.

Now that's a change of underwear I can believe in.

the perfect headline as Bush leaves town

Sums up the W years pretty well, I think. Watching the TV coverage now.

i challenge you

watch this without tears in your eyes.

didn't think you could do it.

UPDATE: well, what do you know? Corporate America is not amused.

LATER UPDATE: Here it is, with Italian TV intro.

good shabbos

a chilly Saturday morning, but golden sunlight is streaming into the kitchen, where my first cup of coffee is finished, the kitchen is cleaned, the cornbread is just about done, the dog and cats are fed, and I can go food-shopping later this morning, and buy anything I want.

And it's the last weekend where George Bush can do damage.

It doesn't get much better than this, or does it?

three oaxaca photos

One of the hundreds of displays at 'Noche de los Rabenos':


Interior of Santo Domingo:


Along the trail on the 2-day mountain trek: