an inconvenient fact

Thinking about the frenzy among Republican Attorneys General, to repeal the Health Care 'reform' law as unConstitutional. Oops.

who says Health Insurance companies don't have a sense of humor?

Really, these guys are a riot!

more on Cantor story

It just keeps getting better and better. Turns out:

"Later Thursday, however, Richmond police said in a news release that the bullet had been fired into the air around 1 a.m. Tuesday. It finished its random arc back to earth at a sharp downward trajectory, breaking a window pane on the bottom floor of the two-story brick building where Cantor’s campaign leases the top floor."

Got that? Cantor's campaign consultants lease an office on the top floor, and the random bullet broke a window on the bottom floor.

Yes, this event was sure important enough to bring anti-Semitism into the stew.

Pathetic clown.

Meanwhile...

"Tear down this Government" (but wait until I get my check)

Heard this on KPOJ this morning, too, as reported on TalkingPointsMemo. Should we be surprised?

----------------------------------------

The Washington Post today has a profile of Mike Vanderboegh, the 57-year-old former militiaman from Alabama who last week posted a call for people to throw bricks through the windows at Democratic offices around the country to protest their votes for Health Care Reform. Whether the people who actually did this over the last week did so in reaction to his call to arms is not clear. But he's happy to take credit and others are crediting him too.

But Vanderboegh really is a classic exemplar of scream-at-your-TV tea-partyish extremism. A radical libertarian, champion of getting big government off the people's backs, his day job? Vanderboegh lives on government disability checks down outside of Birmingham, Alabama.

eric cantor

Now that it's becoming clear that the bullet not only was NOT directly fired into the building, but the building houses political consultants that Cantor uses, NOT his campaign office.

Two words come to mind (besides 'total idiot'): 'Reichstag Fire'.

better get used to this story

tick, tick, tick...

Barney strikes again

Just heard the 'rest of the story' about the recent epithet shouted at Barney Frank.

The idiots yelled 'Fascist faggot' at him, and Barney simply replied 'I am not a Fascist'.

uh oh

On Friday, former militia leader Mike Vanderboegh called for anti-Democratic vandalism across the country to protest the health care bill.

Vanderboegh posted the call for action Friday on his blog, “Sipsey Street Irregulars.” Referring to the health care reform bill as “Nancy Pelosi’s Intolerable Act,” he told followers to send a message to Democrats.

“We can break their windows,” he said. “Break them NOW. And if we do a proper job, if we break the windows of hundreds, thousands, of Democrat party headquarters across this country, we might just wake up enough of them to make defending ourselves at the muzzle of a rifle unnecessary.”

Sound familiar?

anyone else having computer derrangement today?

OK. so far today:

1. My main computer wouldn't power up. I had to unplug everything and jigger the case to make the on switch come alive. It seems to be normal now.
   
2. Up at Karen's office, all three of her computers had odd things: one could not recognize the CD drive (loose cable), one lost changes to a Word document (computer was getting automatically rebooted after I uninstalled the horrendous AVG Version 9), and one had a sticky mouse (it was as if Shift-Click was permanently turned on - I pressed the Shift key a couple of times and it returned to normal).
3. Back home, I am trying to fax a document and perpetually getting a busy signal, despite the recipient swearing that all is well on their end.
4. So, I decided to scan the document and email it, instead of faxing. My scanning software continually tells me that there is a hardware problem with the sheet feeder, although I was able to do a Copy without issue, using the sheet feeder.

What's wrong here? Why is everything breaking down today? Am I alone here or are devils hassling you today, too?

food for thought

On one of the blogs this morning, someone made this comment, which, I feel is right on:

"The number of Republican votes in favor of the bill that passed is exactly the same number the bill would have gotten if it had included a true Public Option."

Also, I hear Grandpa McCain solemnly promised this morning that the President would not get any cooperation from the Republicans for the rest of the year. So what else is new?

not one Republican

In the House voted 'Aye'.

34 Democrats voted with them.

It's a first step - the insurance industry is not invincible.

Next stop - the Vatican!

breaking news: Kucinich to vote 'Yes'

He is coming around to the 'hold your nose, get something passed, then fix it later' thinking, that Bernie Sanders has also adopted, and I am OK with this.

Still, I'm glad I sent $5 his way yesterday.

cool YouTube from Ben

pretty clever

Obama

So much promise before the election. So much excitement at the Inauguration.

So much compromise since then.

So much corruption throughout the system. Something is rotten and we all know it.

Pass the damn bill, and try to fix it.

Maybe, in context, Obama will have been a necessary first step, that had to be taken to prepare the way for the Kucinich/Grayson ticket (you remember, the one that ran against, and lost to, Palin/Cheney).

Tick, tick, tick...

it's nice when things work...

...without having to read the documentation, that is.

I've never done anything significant with SQL Server, but there's a chance that an upcoming project will be an Access front-end to an SQL Server database, so I figured I ought to get the basic development stuff set up now.

I downloaded and installed SQL Server Express and its management tool. It was pretty easy to create a new database, add a table, define some fields, and insert some data. Pretty slick.

The next challenge was to build an Access database that can see (and modify) the SQL Server table, and the obvious way to do that is via a linked table, using ODBC. The one critical step to do this is to correctly define the ODBC data source and confirm that the connection is valid.

However, my efforts to define the ODBC data source failed again and again, as my frustration and dread grew exponentially. I tried every combination of the parms that I thought it wanted, but I got a 'connection failed' message every time.

It was totally frustrating, and that was the state I was in last night, when I headed for bed.

Naturally, at some point during the night, a thought 'occurred to me' (as they say), and, in short order, this morning, I created and successfully tested the ODBC data source definition (hint: the default server-name that Windows inserted was incorrect), I created a proof-of-concept Access database with the SQL Server table successfully linked in, the SQL Server table was copied into an Access table, and I created a form that can display (and modify) EITHER the Access table OR the SQL Server table, based on a parm that I can easily toggle in an Application Constants table.

So, I now know I can build an application with forms pointing to tables on either platform, copy data from one to the other, etc. It may not sound like much, but it opens up a lot of possibilities for development.

Now all I need to do is hope they come thru with the contract!

Your reward for getting thru all the above boring stuff is this.

now that my anxiety level has decreased...

I can concentrate on getting prepared for tomorrow night's klezmer concert, where I am just a piano player.

It's at 7:30 at the Portland JCC, and is part of Jewish Arts Month. I think we have a fun program planned. I hope Ed took good notes at our one and only rehearsal, so that we don't have too many surprises (like when to end a number, which can be a challenge once you're in there enjoying yourself).

Taking Dylan to the airport in 15 minutes, for his flight back to Medford/Ashland. Kudos to the amazing customer service person at Horizon Air, who was unbelievably accommodating in transforming the unused portion of last Sunday's itinerary into a seat on this afternoon's flight, without charging us anything. That was a surprise.

Gotta run...

the final word on Dylan

At today's appointment, the doc confirmed that it is indeed a tonsil issue, and he is 99% certain that there is no cancer involved.

Did we over-react by insisting that he NOT return to Ashland the other day, but stay in Portland until we get this figured out? Perhaps.

Apparently, the recovery for tonsil surgery is about 2 weeks for adults, and generally uncomfortable. We are leaving it up to him to schedule the surgery, with the understanding that he will probably have recurring sore throats until it's taken care of.

He is itchy to get back to his Ashland life, so we'll probably put him on a plane in a day or so. Right now, he's hibernating up in his room - seems depressed about having had his plans disrupted by nosy parents.

So it goes.

fascinatin'

The things that can be learned from DNA analysis continue to astonish me.

update on the previous mysterious post

I guess now it can be told.

My son, Dylan, who has been living in Ashland for a couple of years, complained about a persistent sore throat months ago. Naturally, we repeatedly told him 'go to a doctor' since we have insurance, etc.

Of course, he never did.

Last Friday night in Pasadena, on the eve of Sylvia's 99th Birthday party, he mentioned that he still had the sore throat. We pulled out a flashlight and looked into his mouth, and were shocked to see a marble-sized mass that was clearly not supposed to be there.

Karen, having represented a number of people with throat cancer and other horrible stuff, fretted all night about what this could be, and we told Dylan that he would NOT be returning to Ashland on Sunday, but, instead, would stay with us in Portland so that we could make sure this got looked at ASAP.

She took him to a couple of places today until she found someone who would look into it, and, to great relief, the first opinion was that it's a horribly inflamed tonsil, not cancer.

Next appointment is tomorrow afternoon, when we'll find out if he needs surgery (probable) or if it can be handled with medication (hard to imagine). Regardless, he's going to be in Portland for at least a few days, but it seems that our worst fears (which you can imagine) are over.

Kids.

back in Portland

Ben and I flew down to LA Thursday night, and the whole family, Dylan included, returned to Portland late Sunday afternoon.

Saturday was my mother-in-law's 99th birthday party. She's an amazing artist, and it's always a treat to spend time in the house where she lived for 50 years, since just about every square inch of surface has some bizarre painting, ceramic, or 'construction'.

All her neighbors were invited, and as much family as could be assembled were there - about 70 people. Naturally, there were scattered downpours, so the outside time was limited. There was plenty of food and drink, and two astonishingly-large cakes.

For the singing of Happy Birthday, someone had made a huge clay sheet-cake, into which the requisite number of little candles had been inserted. It was lit with a blow-torch and the smoke detectors went nuts - you can imagine the general hilarity.

Since I didn't know 80% of the attendees, I was happy to sit at the piano and play popular songs of the 30's and 40's, my favorite pasttime.

There was only one incident that cast a cloud on the proceedings, and, depending on what happens over the next couple of days, it may become a major topic in this blog, but I hope not.

Enjoy Life, and especially enjoy others whose lives are inspirational.

rumor just heard on Thom Hartman show

The RUMOR (totally unconfirmed at the moment) is that John Roberts is going to resign as Chief Justice due to medical problems.

Please let it be true.

UPDATE: now the original report is being retracted. Oh well, I felt pretty good for a few minutes.

small satisfactions

With Karen gone for a few days (law conference in San Diego, and then to Pasadena to prepare for her mother's 99th birthday party, this weekend), PLUS the full moon, I hardly slept last night.

Instead, I spent hours (or so it seemed) compiling a list of all the things that had to be done today. There were almost a dozen, and, as of 12:30 pm, all but two are completed, including doing the first major lawn-mowing of the year.

Now, I can coast for a couple of hours.

home for Purim

The savvy among you will immediately get the association with 'For Your Consideration' - the rest of you should go rent it.

Yes, it's Purim, and last night I played piano at Havurah for their annual fun-fest. It was great to see all the little kids, and the parents who also got into the spirit of things (there were many bottles of spirits being appreciated).

Many memories, of course, of Purims past, in my little home town in upstate New York. It's too bad that my boys won't have those rich memories of the all-consuming Jewish experience that I had.

At any rate, it's now Sunday morning, and I am all alone in the house. It's a rare thing. Karen is in San Diego for a law conference, and, since Ben moved out a couple of weeks ago, that leaves me and the animals.

I made myself a strong mug of coffee and that went down just right.

I am playing a set of jewish music with friends at the Cedar Sinai home this afternoon, and spent an hour playing thru the playlist that Ed sent earlier this morning. Should be a fun program - we are doing it twice: once in the Rose Schnitzer auditorium (that has a wonderful, familiar piano) and then across the street, at the Robison nursing facility, where the audience is a lot more 'lower-key'.

My fingers feel very nimble, which is good, considering that the next big concert is March 11th, a very public event that is part of Jewish Arts Month, and the group only has one major rehearsal scheduled!

But I digress.

After playing wildly in my empty house, filling it with music, I let the silence creep back in, then went out onto the back porch, where I sat quietly for a while, finished my coffee, and watched the birds and squirrels, trees, and flowering shrubs. It's spring, and there was (naturally - it's a Jewish holiday!) a full moon last night, which means that I slept erratically.

I am home for Purim, and alone. For today, that's OK.

A friend of ours, who is selling his house and needed a place to crash for a while, is temporarily moving into our freshly-cleaned and furnished basement room tomorrow, so my time alone is coming to an end.

I should be working on taxes, but I am listening to the Yiddish Hour on KBOO (Liz is hosting today - she is in the group that I'm performing with this afternoon). It's all OK.

Happy Purim, y'all.

best snarky epithet for the Republicans at the Obama HCR 'summit'

Heard on KPOJ radio today: 'the vermin on the Mount".

interesting perspective

we are all complicit.

beautiful

simply beautiful. Note the twinkle in DeFazio's eye at the end.

KPOJ is doing an "I'm as mad as Hell because..." segment this morning. Well, I'm as mad as Hell that the Democrats haven't been doing this since the day after Obama was sworn in.

'Nuff said.

woody allen retrospective

Yes, he was quite a great character in the 60's, and this page summarizes his early career, with links to many wonderful clips.

No matter how you feel about his, um, personal life, the guy was a great character in his earlier days. See the silent film they did for 'The Woody Allen Show', with a very young Candice Bergen.

white house unveils new HCR proposal

'State-based exchanges'? You gotta be kidding.

Yes, there are a few good things, but, Jeez, where's the audacity?

I called Wyden's office this morning, asking if he had a position yet on signing the letter advocating the public option. 'No,' the staffer said.

I just don't get it. Where are you, Ron?

Feb. 18th

It's my mother's birthday - she's been gone since December 2008.

She taught me how to make stuffed cabbage, but nobody made it better.

The Flintstones was a Documentary!

I guess it shouldn't be too surprising.

We really are a pathetic people - after all these thousands of years of 'progress', it has come to this.

Fat, dumb, white, and angry - Americans on the march! At least they won't get far before they have to rest and eat.

getting ready to go on the air

I am hosting the Portland Yiddish Hour this morning, at 10 am PST, on KBOO FM (90.7). You can listen live over the internet at http://kboo.fm

Obviously, I will be playing songs about love and marriage, since there are so few Yiddish songs about Abraham Lincoln.

Heading over to the station in about an hour, with a stack of CDs, my notes, and hope for the best.

best snarky epithet yet for Glenn Beck

Seen on a blog posting today: Nostradumbass

a sobering message

At last, someone concisely lays out what I've been feeling for a while - the problems with the American economy are not likely to disappear as the recession 'recovers'.

The manufacturing base that fueled our prosperity since World War II is gone and NEVER coming back, thanks to the insistence of multinational corporations of moving American jobs to workers who will work cheap.

It's that simple, but the article explains the long-term costs to our society of this drain, and it ain't pretty, especially if you are a middle-aged blue-collar worker or a young adult looking for a non fast-food job.

I found the last Y2K bug this afternoon

And I caused it, by a design decision I made 10 years ago.

To generate unique record keys in databases I have developed, I have an algorithm that takes the current date and time and appends a 4-digit random number, so you get keys like this:

0904220824438920 (which tells me it was created on 04/22/09 at 8:24:43 am), and, for it not to be unique, two records would have to be created at the exact same hundredth of a second, and the random-number generator would have had to, twice in quick succession, decide on 8920.

All of these databases came into being since 2001, so it was reasonable to assume that the lowest possible record-key that could be generated would be 010101000001xxxx (that is, one-hundredth of a second past midnight on January 1, 2001).

I have a routine that says 'find oldest data on file' and it gets the minimum value for this (string) field it can find, in the first table that is created when initializing a new database. Got it? Should be fool-proof.

Well, they keep inventing more-clever fools.

Recently, my tester imported data from a group in Mongolia (really), and the 'find oldest data on file' routine failed.

I probed and quickly saw that one of the keys in the table in question in their data was 8801012140074820 (that is, a record created on January 1, 1988, many years before the database came into being). How is this possible?

I surmise that the clock in their computer was incorrect, and their system time really was set to January 1988, which also explains why some other data in their copy of the database was stamped with that date.

I never dreamed that ANYONE would have any (automatically-generated) key dates that referred to a 20th century date, which is why I am only using a 2-digit year in my internal keys. Had I included the '19' or '20', it would have been OK, so this is actually the last Y2K bug to be discovered (maybe)!

fun, huh? I thought I was clever saving those 2 characters in every database record, and, up until today, it has worked out great.

I wrote my first computer program in 1970. Old habits die hard.

scott brown gets sworn in immediately

Read all about it.

Contrast this to Al Franken's somewhat-delayed swearing in.

yikes

Just looked at my calendar for February - I have 9 music events, rehearsals, or performances coming up before the end of the month.

And, during this time, we need to:

1. get my mother-in-law's 99th birthday party (to take place March 6 in Pasadena) organized and invitations printed and mailed out
2. get Ben moved out of this house and into his new house (after we buy a refrigerator, decide on roof repairs, and finish some minor lighting-fixture issues)
3. decide on Zacky's euthenasia date (currently targeting Ash Wednesday)
4. plunge in on a new database project for my USDA folks in New Mexico
5. etc. etc. etc.
   

busy week ahead

Picked up Karen at the airport around 4 - she had been in Santa Cruz since Friday, helping her 99 year-old Mother adjust to a new assisted-living place - it's an 'experiment'.

I managed to get everything on her honey-do list done (or, at least, in progress), so that's a relief.

I'm playing piano for a music program Thursday night, and, in addition to the one hour before the performance, today's one-hour rehearsal with three of the vocalists is about all we will get. Should be fun, though, and didn't have to transpose too many of their songs.

More music stuff coming up in the next couple of weeks, some of which involves tunes I don't know (yet). Also, my partners at the USDA in New Mexico really want to release the next database upgrade on or before Friday, so we are scrambling to test out the most-recent changes, looking for those ever-increasingly-subtle bugs. It's a living.

Above all, the gloomy, wet, chilly day reminds me why it's so much nicer being in Mexico.

Oh yes, Republicans suck - did I forget to mention that? Let me count the ways (yes, Mitch McConnell, I am thinking of you)....

PS: Senate Dems are, sadly, totally ineffective and/or compromised. Obama's recent appearances, however, have been quite good. How nice to have someone intelligent at the helm, even though the keel is leaking badly (thanks to all the GOP mischief/theft since 1980).

Finally: RIP Howard Zinn.

computer changeover coming

It's always a stressful thing to contemplate, but Ben convinced me that his old desktop (which he never uses since he migrated to a small, very powerful laptop) is a better computer than my main development machine, which has been loyally running daily for about 4 years.

More memory, faster processor, better video, etc. I haven't had any problems with my current, very reliable Dell, but moving to a freshly-rebuilt, totally clean PC is too good to pass up.

There were some hurdles to eliminating the few issues with his machine, to wit:

1) It had a very noisy fan, but Ben found a free utility called SpeedFan, that monitors CPU heat and adjusts the fan level accordingly. Most of the time, it's now a whisper, occasionally rising to the level of a murmer.

2) The PC would not wake from Hibernation. I use Hibernate all the time, so this was a problem. He updated drivers on all peripherals and finally ended up flashing the BIOS on the motherboard - problem solved!

3) The built-in Ethernet port was flaky (i.e. not working). Ben said that the guy he bought the unit from admitted this from the start, so he's been using a USB WiFi connector with it. Yesterday, I made a pilgrimage to FreeGeek, and bought a PCI Ethernet card for $5. I popped it in the morning, plugged it directly into my router, and, voila, I am in business.

Now comes the onerous task of moving all my files and applications over, but I just might take the next big step (I've already installed and tested my super-critical apps), to unplug my old computer, plug in the new one, and, little by little, get all my files and apps moved over.

It's a little scary.

making progress at ben's new house

Been here since 8:00 am, doing a variety of chores including:

Figuring out why the garbage disposal wasn't working
Fixing a gate latch
Setting up the dining room
Cleaning and applying a coat of finish to the kitchen and bathroom floors
Sweeping a ton of sheet-rock dust in the garage room
Mopping the garage floor
Setting up the WiFi router, after the DSL guys arrived (more about that, if I want to go into the gory details)
Testing out the WiFi in various rooms in the house - it works!

Doesn't sound like a lot, but it's been a busy time, and now I'm about ready to finish the clean-up, then take the carpet we bought from a craigslist dog-owner, to get it clean and deodorized.

Somewhere in the house is the stylus for my phone, which I must have put down and walked away. That would be nice to find before I leave. There's always something.

All we need now is a refrigerator, and the place is ready to have him move in.

turning a tree into building materials

Here is our diseased Port Orford cedar, which has been slowly dying for a couple of years.We had a tree guy take it down in 9 foot sections. It took him over two months, due to weather and flakiness. He finally finished the major work last Saturday (although there is still a big brush pile, which he's supposed to clean up this afternoon - we'll see).

So, we are envisioning a structure to be built over our slowly-being-restored backyard well, and, since we now have some pretty big chunks of cedar, it made sense to get it milled. Karen found a local guy on craigslist, who has a portable mill.

Justin arrived on time this morning, got his monster set up, and we rolled the logs over to the staging area.


He's a real artist, constantly making measurements. Our goal was to get six 6x6's, a bunch of 4x4's, and whatever else could be created.


Halfway done, and the pile of finished lumber is growing. Zacky was enjoying the view and sounds (not to mention the pungent cedar smell permeating the yard).


And here's the finished pile. Beautiful 6x6's, 4x4's, a bunch of 2x4's, and assorted other pieces. Total cost of transforming all those logs: $115

Pretty amazing. Don't forget to call Justin for all your wood-milling needs!

a headline that made me do a double-take

On Buzzflash this morning, I scanned this headline and then had to re-read it:

Air America Will Cease Operations, Liquidate Holdings

When I first read it, I missed the word 'Air'. I thought it was a case where the American Empire had just formally crumbled, after yesterday's Supreme Court ruling.

the Supremes strike again

Not too happy about today's ruling.

as if the 2000 coup was not bad enough

There appears to be a growing nasty smell about Ohio 2004.

Big Brother meets Amazing Effeciency

We ran thru Ikea last weekend, grabbing a bunch of things for Ben's new house. Naturally, once the dust settled, there were a couple of items that we didn't really need, so they had to be returned.

No problem, since Ikea's return policy is quite liberal, as long as you have the receipt, which we did.

HOWEVER, scrutinizing the receipt at home, we noticed that the checker had mistakenly rung up one ($22) item twice, and I was wondering if they would just take my word that we had indeed only purchased one dish set, especially since I was returning that set.

'No problem', says the returns person, who saw the date/time of our purchase on the receipt. "Who were you with and what were you wearing?" I answered as best I could, she made a phone call, and, a couple of minutes later, got a call back authorizing the credit for the mistake.

This means they have archived video of every purchase, in every checkout line, and can quickly go to the video of us and the items we unloaded on the belt, and verify that what we claim is true.

Now isn't that amazing?

for the record: it was NOT a one-way ticket

Spread the word. The meme got planted in the public consciousness by a couple of media outlets, and reinforced by Rush, et al to the point where it's now accepted truth.

Makes you wonder what else you believe that just ain't so??

the world turned upside down

Watch the linked BBC video, and let me know what you think.

Then refresh your memory about Emmanuel Goldstein, the public face of Evil in '1984'.

It seems altogether possible that 'Al Queda', that started out as a necesary component of BushCo's 'perception management', has become a self-fulfilling reality.

This is not to say that there are no Bad Guys, and overlooks the entire issue of Why They Hate Us.

headline: Miami shivers from coldest weather in decade

Here.

If they think they have problems now, just wait until Sea Level rises a few meters over the next century. Honestly, I remember chugging out of Miami on a cruise ship a couple of years ago, and looking back at the Miami skyline, and wondering two things:

1. How odd will it be for future people to go sailing around those abandoned skyscrapers?
2. How much am I personally contributing to the problem by flying to Florida to cruise around for a week, in a big circle?
   

Our modern world is so damn unsustainable, and we collectively spent a billion dollars on Avatar, over the past couple of weeks. Gotta stay entertained!

avatar

OK, we gave in to the hype and saw it, in 3D, at a nearby filled-to-capacity (both the theater and the parking lots) multiplex.

Aside from the fact that it's basically Cowboys-vs.-Indians, wow.

Several scenes give new meaning to the phrase 'over the top'. You know that you WILL see it eventually, so you might as well give in soon.

I think Roger Ebert's comment, likening it to the first 'Star Wars' impact, is right on. Something new has happened to film technology.

We had tried to get in New Years Eve, but it was sold out, so we saw the new 'Sherlock Holmes' movie instead. It was, in it's own way, also over the top. I'd give it a B+, only because it was so much more CGI-whiz-bang than Conan-Doyle deductive reasoning.


This is a big week - we are to close on the house for Ben tomorrow, which means, among other things, that we will not only be driving to NE Portland a lot over the next couple of months, but also, by March, we should reclaim our basement space that he 'temporarily' occupied last August.

Now for some coffee and maybe even a little work.

'democrats join call for Napolitano resignation'

I see this headline in 'google news'.

Will someone explain to me how the failure of airport people in Amsterdam to keep the guy off the plane is Napolitano's fault?

what I want to know is....

Heard on the radio this morning that the Underwear-Bomber:

1. paid cash
2. had no luggage

On a normal transcontinental flight, what percentage of passengers pay cash and check no luggage?

60? 50? 1? .1%

I have to assume the percentage is *somewhat* low. Shouldn't this have been a signal that a *more-comprehensive* pre-flight search was called for?

Also, do we know if he bought a one-way or round-trip ticket?

Just curious...

What a difference 2 days makes

Last Sunday morning: walking along a cactus-strewn nature trail in the bone-dry, california desert.

Today: sitting in my portland living room, watching a snowstorm.

some vacation photos

Coachella Nature Preserve - Willis Palm grove

Big Morongo Canyon preserve - cottonwoods along Canyon Trail

Anza-Borrego state park - view from Wind Caves trail at Split Mountain

Borrego sunset 1

Borrego sunset 2 - our last evening, from S&D's terrace

when jokes turn cruel

Back in the days after the Shoe-Bomber, after it was decreed that nobody gets on a plane without taking off their shoes, I got a lot of mileage out of the following gag:

"At least he wasn't the Underwear-Bomber".

It was funny then, but, this morning, I hear that the Nigerian guy had the explosives sewn into his underwear.

Uh-oh.

and we are now home

With a cat sitting on my desk, trying to be cute (and succeeding).

Had a splendid time in the Palm Springs neighborhood - went for some very nice walks in a variety of desert preserves, including a palm oasis near Thousand Palms and the colorful canyon trail near Morongo.

Thanks especially to S&D for their hospitality in Borrego - the bumpy drive and hike in the Split Mountain canyon was awesome, as the photos attest. Maybe I will get around to uploading one or two soon, but I am tired from the traveling.

We did have breakfast this morning at this very cool place. Quite retro, with photos on the wall of movie stars who stayed there over the years (Bing, Gable, Brando, Marilyn, etc).

heading home

2 pm flight today, from Palm Springs back to Portland.

Have spent the last 3 days with S&D in Borrego Springs. We went hiking yesterday to some sandstone 'caves' up in the Split Mountain area. Amazing vistas of the fabulous eroded wasteland - very remote feeling, except for the other 4-wheel drive vehicles and occasional motorcyclist.

Great sunset last night capped off a pretty good 10-day sojourn in these parts.

Still, as always, looking forward to being home and seeing the animals.

It drives me nuts

Listening to NPR morning edition today, as I frequently do.

They interviewed the proud mother of an Illinois soldier who had received multiple medals during four tours of duty in Iraq.

The guantanamo prisoners are coming to the nearby prison, and she said that bringing 'terrorists' there is a 'slap in the face' to her son's service.

Will someone explain to her that (unless the real reason is oil), her son's overal purpose for being there was to help establish our beloved (rightly so) principal that every accused person is both presumed innocent and guaranteed a trial?

Why is this so difficult, both for Mom to understand and for NPR to mention?

it finally happened

We are here in Palm Desert for a few days, enjoying the sun and spectacle. It's actually totally pleasant.

We don't pick up our rental car for a couple of days, and it's clear that this area makes NO concessions to pedestrians, aside from sidewalks. There is a 'Marketplace' here at the resort, but one look at the $6 boxes of cereal made me decide to walk to the nearest grocery store, to buy provisions.

Alas, the nearest grocery story is a Wal*Mart, and I have NEVER been inside one of these, on some kind of principal. I walked there and did my grocery shopping, and I am happy to say that, yes, the prices are surprisingly low, and at least I didn't buy anything made in China.

and now for something completely different

watch

times change

While wasting time, I happened upon this page, where Google is thoughtfully providing complete Life magazines, from post WWII America.

We got 'Life' every week, and I remember vividly the important stories of the day, like Vietnam, the Beatles, and LSD. However, browsing thru an old issue today, the ads caught my attention, especially this one, which, I remember, was a mainstay in the magazines of the day:



Yes, the good old days, when Americans were worried about being too skinny.

people I don't really know in the news

In the middle of the night, I was listening to BBC radio, as I often do when I can't sleep, and they broadcast a story about the ongoing controversy in Uganda, about the proposed anti-gay laws.

The BBC announcer reported that the situation had been made worse by the efforts of two American 'preachers', one of whom is Scott Lively.

Now that is a name I had not heard in many years, not so much from his Oregon Citizens Alliance days, but from another, more distant connection.

Scott's wife, Anne, worked at Blue Cross when I was there a long time ago, and I always thought she was a lovely person. In fact, she and Scott were invited to our wedding party - this would have been 1985.

As a wedding present, they presented us with a plant, now many feet tall, that still sits in the corner of our dining room (and had to get carefully moved out of the way for Thanksgiving).

He and Anne divorced years ago - I have wondered what it was like in that home - and today, Scott Lively is in the international news spotlight, for being one of the world's pre-eminent anti-gay crusaders.

This certainly does not approach the level of the "I knew him when" bragging I can do about Tommy Hillfiger, but, this chilly, rainy morning in Portland, it's the best I can do.

Merry Christmas to all. I wish I could believe that the savior of humanity has already walked the earth, but it's a stretch, given the evidence to the contrary.

one man; one vote

Lieberman's - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

i've been down on Obama lately

Frustrated with the compromises on Health Insurance reform, and the continuation of the Afghanistan tragedy, but I must say that his Nobel acceptance speech revealed much about the man.

There can be no doubt that he is a remarkable individual, and that, despite the horrendous conditions under which he assumed power, and the determined opposition that will stoop to nothing to obfuscate and obstruct all efforts to move forward, we are very fortunate to have him.

I hope he lasts.

think back a couple of months...

During the height of the 'Death Panel' scare, I remember hearing, from several sources, this opinion:

"If you think that the disinformation campaign currently being waged by well-funded vested Health Insurance interests is incredibly brazen and shameless, just wait until attention is focused on Global Climate Change. What we will see then will make the Health Care debate look sane."

Aye, mateys, it has come to pass exactly as predicted.

Nothing significant will come from Health Insurance reform, and nothing significant will be done to slow CO2 emissions. Your grandchildren will live in a vastly different world from today, but, at least, there will probably be a few billion fewer (mostly non-white) humans around, so your internet access might be a little faster.

I really believe that we, as a species, are going to just let it all happen, because a very small minority of us are so damn greedy that all they care about is money.

There's an old story about a fabulously wealthy man who was asked: "You already have everything that anyone could possibly need. What more do you want?", and he answered, "More."

got 10 minutes to spare?

George Carlin

back from Bend

It was a lot of driving today (we came over Willamette Pass, to stop to pick up some of my mother-in-law's ceramics outside of Eugene - it's a long story), but it's good to be home.

Bend was incredibly snowy (almost a foot of powder fell Saturday night and Sunday) but today was clear and the roads were no problem. Here is a photo taken Sunday afternoon from our motel room, right on the Deschutes river:

waking up in bend - something changed from last night

Last night was cold, but clear. Now...

Heading to Bend

Karen has a hearing monday morning, so we're driving there for the weekend

sorry

Watched Obama's speech tonight, and I am sad.

We have been here before, and many more young people will die and become physically or psychologically maimed. The cost of today's decision will be paid for decades to come.

Did my ears deceive me, or is the main justification for not withdrawing now 'this is not like Vietnam'?

Why not take the money we would be spending on continuing this war (and paying for the long-term care of the veterans) and spend half of it building schools, bridges, medicine and water systems in Afghanistan, and the other half doing the same thing here?

What am I missing?

we survived

Most of the out-of-town guests are gone, and the house is returning to normal, except that the refrigerator is full of little containers of odds and ends. It's slightly obscene, given the reality of most families in this world.

Not much on the schedule today - I'm doing the Yiddish Hour tomorrow (10 am PST - KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland, or streaming live on the web site.

The past couple of weeks have been incredibly busy, but everything that needed to be done was done, including lots of music, cooking, and cleaning.

I have about 5 books at my bedside, and one more on hold at the library. Some will have to go unread.

It's all unreal.

read an amazing book this weekend

Yes, I read the whole thing - couldn't put it down.

It's this. I can't remember who recommended it to me, but thanks.

Really, this was an aspect of the Franco period that I never knew about. Also, the author goes into the whole notion of secret Jews in surprising places.

These are families that have outwardly embraced Christianity for generations, but either still preserve the secretive knowledge of their origins, or, even odder, maintained certain rituals that can be directly traced back to Jewish practice, but have been altered over the years in subtle ways.

One thing common in many of these families is the lingering fear of discovery, and, in one chilling case, that fear was warranted. Apparently, in the 1920's, a number of families in the Netherlands were persuaded to come out and declare their Jewish roots. That worked great until the Nazis marched in 20 years later, rounded them up and killed them.

The families that did not reveal their Jewish past survived.

Once again, it proves the old adage that "I wouldn't be paranoid if They weren't out to get me."

new word for today (thanks to Ken Levine)

If you don't read his blog, you are missing daily entertainment.

The word is to be applied to Sarah Palin's book: alibiography

mary landrieu says 'yes'!

She will vote 'ay' in tonight's Senate procedural nonsense. It's small, but important.

Meanwhile, just finished reading this. Highly recommended. Thanks to RH for telling me about this book.

don't look now, but...

Bad things are happening between Venezuela and Columbia, and this may be a very big story before too long.

Chavez is a wild-card down there, and I am afraid that matters are escalating towards bloodshed, which could pull in the bigger powers, who smell oil.

It's always, ultimately, about the oil.

not raining

So, I guess it's time to confront the remaining leaves.

UPDATE: many leaves moved from yard to compost. What did you expect, announcement of a cancer cure?

it's karen's birthday today (Monday)

send her a note at kstolzberg@juno.com - she has a big brief due tomorrow and is stressing over it.

as for me, work is pretty lean these days but, fortunately, there are lots of music rehearsals and performances coming up in the next couple of weeks.

also, as I recall, we have having 18 people to dinner late next week, so we are starting to think about that. yikes!

here's a photo from Spain, that I am thinking about today:

The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Hieronymus Bosch (1504), taken in the Prado, six hours after landing in Madrid, after flying for two days. The guard in the room wagged a finger and scowled at me. So it goes.

why isn't everybody saying this?

Am I just stating the obvious, but isn't the proper response to the supporters of the Stupak abortion amendment something along the lines of "Oh, I get it - you want the Government to come between a woman and her doctor."?


Saw the always-wonderful Craig Carothers last night at the Buffalo Gap. As usual, he appeared with a couple of other songwriters and they traded songs, and, as usual, the other star of the evening (aside from Craig's perfect songs), is the dazzling guitar wizardry of Tim Ellis' always-perfect accompaniment. Breath-taking.

Craig and friends are in Oregon for the next few days. If you've never seen or heard him, go.

hysterically funny, almost

oops

is our children learning?

Maybe the proper question should be 'what is our soldiers learning'?

Maybe it wasn't the best decision to make 'Defense Industries' (i.e. Continuous War) the basis of our economy (spreading the money across every congressional district), rather than investing those 400 billion dollars per year in Education and Health Care for all citizens.

Maybe then we wouldn't have (as many) paranoid dumb-asses loose on our streets.

So, is this is further proof that Obama is keeping us safe, or is not keeping us safe? I am confused.

Must.turn.on.TV.now........

Nibiru?

Be afraid, Americans! Notice how similar 'Nibiru' is to 'Obama'? Makes you think.

So the End is 12/21/12? I think the Mayans were off by a few days, and it really should be 12/12/12 -- Ben's birthday. Since the world ends 9 days later, maybe I should hold off buying a present. Must make a calendar entry...

Another triumph of Hollywood marketing - actually we saw the 'trailer' for that movie the other day. Didn't seem like there was a lot of time for character development, what with cars being swallowed up and tsunamis coming soon to a town near you.

And you were worried about the Ice caps melting by 2100 - be happy.

dennis

once again, doing the right thing for the right reasons.

I think time will tell that the bill that was passed by the House this weekend was a disgrace and a failure, and ultimately a victory for the status quo, no matter how much lipstick they put on it.

All the noble ambitions of the true Progressives were thwarted, and the Big Guys are undoubtedly high-fiving to celebrate their effective bamboozlement. It's all very sad, but the saddest part is the claim of some great victory.

It's a tiny step, and, by the time the Senate/House conference gets thru with it, it will be even tinier.

oh, untimely death!

I was never a major Michael Jackson fan (aside from 'Billie Jean', which I always thought was brilliant musically, until I understood the weird lyrics).

At any rate, we saw the 'This is It' movie last night, and I must say that the guy really was incredibly talented, and showed no visible precursors of a man about to be, well, dead. It makes it seem all the more like a case of medical incompetence, but I'll leave that up to the District Attorney.

Go see it, and, for two hours, forget about the Neverland sleepovers and bizarre surgeries. It's about Dance, lighting, and theater.

back doing fun programming

Thankfully, my two remaining clients (others have been hit hard by the recession and have shelved further enhancements) have been coming up with interesting challenges, and I have enjoyed digging into code and user interfaces again, to create some cool tools and slick functions for them.

Really, there's nothing more satisfying than being in total command of the all-encompassing universe that is a software application. It compensates for the messier aspects of real life.

politics in spain

Having read a lot about the Spanish Civil War, in preparation for the trip, I was dying to ask Spaniards about how Franco and his reign are now considered, but I never had the courage to bring it up, knowing that, in some areas, passions are still high.

On the last day, I did ask Liz, the English owner of the B&B about it, and her answers were somewhat non-committal, along the lines of "it is recognized that there were atrocities on both sides." She also mentioned that Tony's (her spanish husband) father was a Franco supporter.

Well, today on the net, I see this. Apparently, my sense is right, and the historical verdict is that the eternal glorification of Franco is not going to happen. It's sort of equivalent to the Russians pulling down the Lenin statues, although the US still has to deal, someday, with the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building.

Beautiful full moon tonight. Totally dark now (5:45 pm).

Did a lot of yard-work this weekend - knees hurt. Busy week ahead, with several music rehearsals and a birthday dinner coming up Thursday (we are going out for sushi).

Spain seems very far away now.

more rejected photos from Spain

Again, these are pictures that are not going to make my official 'show', for various reasons:

Girona - view from old city walls:

Optical illusion painting, from the Dali museum, Figueres:


Room in Alcazar, Segovia:


Roman mosaic, Empuries:



I have the official show down to about 200 slides. Had to cut out many that I wish I could have included, but I don't want the audience to revolt.

what jet lag?

It took four days, but we are feeling pretty much normal for the first time, today. Funny how we adjusted to Spain time quickly, but readjusting to Portland time has been difficult. So many factors here, it's impossible to say why this is so.

Moving right along organizing my photos. I am up to the Barcelona phase and then I'll be ready to try them out on the usual suspects. Here are a few that won't make the cut to the official show, because they are duplicates of a better shot:

The cathedral in Segovia:

Girona:

Peratallada, from the terrace of our hostel:

The cloister at Tarragona cathedral:

Spires of Sagrada Familia, Barcelona:

jet lag is beginning to lag

We've been home for two days now, and things are starting to approach normal.

Still, I was awake from 2 to 5 this morning. Wonder how long that will continue?

Working on organizing my Spain photos. I promise I will never make you watch all of them.

*****************************

we are home

bye-bye, barcelona

We began the day holding about 102,75 euros and a metro pass with 8 rides still on it. The goal was to finish the day with 0 rides on the metro pass, and as few euros as possible.

We have apparently succeeded.

We took the metro to the big flea-market (Encants) where, last Friday morning, we bought a few chachkas. One of the more interesting stalls, though, was a guy who was selling a large number of original art pieces, by real Catalan artists. Many were framed, but he also had many pieces unframed. We had looked at a couple of items the other day, but didn't buy anything.

This morning, we attempted to find him again, amid the incredible bustle of the market. We did, and, a half-hour later, after much haggling, I am the owner of a small original semi-abstract oil by Carlos Alonso-Eugenia, born in Barcelona 1929 and now dead. The original price was 120 (the dealer said it would go for 150 in a gallery) but Karen, with flair and determination, got it down to 80. I am happy, and Art Man seemed content.

Next, on our way out of the market, she spied a decorative metal tray, with arabic writing on the back. The guy wanted 40 euros, but, since we only had 20 left, she offered 20. He scoffed, then, as we shrugged and walked away, he said 'OK'.

Now we were down to about 2,75 euros. We took the metro back to our neighborhood, dropped off our new treasures, then went back to L'Oronete, the neighborhood bistro where we had a great lunch on the first day. They take credit cards, so lunch was able to proceed.

For first course, Karen had the standard Catalan salad (lettuce, olives, assorted hams, etc), and I had a very delicious, hot, bubbly casserole of stuffed red-peppers in an eggy, cheesy sauce. It was major comfort food.

For second course, Karen had merluza (hake) and I had rabbit, which tasted like very good chicken. It was a delicious lunch, accompanied by white wine, good flan (Karen had a pear for dessert), and two Cafe Americanos. 21 euros, thanks to Visa.

Back at The Patio, we rested, then met the new couple just arriving -- from Portland! Small world. We chatted and it was nice.

By the middle of the afternoon, we were ready to go out for our final tourist swing. We took the metro down to the Liceu stop, walked thru La Boqueria, the large, touristy market, walked along the crowded, touristy Rambla, then into the quieter streets of the Old City.

The neighborhood just to the east of the main cathedral was the old Jewish quarter, and we walked its dim, quiet, cavern-like streets. The occasional marker confirmed that this was the place. I know my ancestors lived in Toledo, and I believe they ended up in Salonika, and Barcelona was the logical departure point for Mediterranean ports, so I imagined my ancestors strolling those streets, as their final days in Spain approached (quickly).

It may not have actually happened that way, of course, but it's easy to think so.

It was now late afternoon. We took the metro back to our neighborhood (using the final rides on our metro pass). We popped into the Internet cafe just around the corner, to login to Delta and print boarding passes. I paid the 25 cents for 15 minutes of computer time (significantly diminishing my remaining cash).

I got pretty far into the check-in process before Delta insisted on my retyping our passport numbers (which they certainly already have, and which I did not have on me). 13 minutes left!

I ran back to our room, grabbed the documents, ran back, completed the check-in, and printed the boarding passes. Of course, it printed 3 pages of garbage along with the passes, so that was 7 pages at 20 cents/page.

I now have about 4 coins in my pocket, worth less than 1 euro. Mission accomplished!

Back at The Patio, we chatted more with the Portland couple. I sold them my Barcelona guide-book (still with its Powells sticker) for 5 dollars (US), and gave them the unused coupons, maps, and other tourist info, that we will no longer be using.

It's now 6 pm. I have started my final packing. In a couple of hours we will go out for our final dinner (as long as they take Visa), and, tomorrow morning, Tony will drive us to the airport. We should be home before midnight.

As Karen and I were walking thru the metro on our way back, late this afternoon, I said something like '...and remember the time we went to Spain?'

She said, 'oh yes, I remember that trip - what year was that?'

another barcelona day

We took the metro to the Rambla neighborhood, looking for another flea-market. The flea part was pretty meager, but there was a thriving, regular coin and stamp market, with dozens of tables serving the curiosity and competitive needs of many buyers and sellers.

It was quite a scene, and you definitely had the feeling that this has been going on for years, every Sunday. Didn't buy anything, although one table that specialized in (genuine?) Roman, Etruscan, and Moroccan coins was especially cool.

From there, we wandered over to the Cathedral neighborhood, via the 'Placa de George Orwell'. One of the books I had brought with me on this trip (have I not mentioned this previously?) is 'Homage to Catalonia', his ultimately blistering chronicle of his time serving in the Republican army during the Civil War, and, especially, his surreal time here in Barcelona. You should read this, if you haven't. Strangely, no plaque or explanation of why that plaza has that name. Does anyone know?

Following directions in Rick Steves' book, we found the tiny side-street near the cathedral, where you turn a corner and there, surrounded by buildings is a little, quiet space occupied by four original columns from the Roman temple on this site. It's quite eerie. The place is called 'Mount Taber' and is the highest point in the original Roman town.

A couple of blocks away and it's the 21st century again, with traffic and the bustling of tourists.
We hopped on the Blue tourist bus (remember, we bought 2-day passes) and rode it up to the 'Block of Discord', where 4 Modernist buildings, one by Gaudi, compete with each other. The crowds were enormous, but we peeked into one of the houses to see the interesting architectural details, before hopping on a Red tourist bus, to sit for a while.

This bus took us back to Sagrada Familia, which is where we first picked it up yesterday (was it only yesterday?). This time, as we approached Sagrada, we could see an astonishing tide of humanity. A lot of people milling around. We felt sorry for the people in the REALLY long line waiting to get on the Tourist Bus, because NOBODY on our bus got off to visit the church. It must have been a long, hot wait for a lot of people there today.

However, we sailed along, and it was grand, sitting on top as the bus winds its way thru the various neighborhoods. Our destination was the Park Guell, Gaudi's failed urban-living development, now a public park.

Lots of people here, too. That was an understatement.

Despite the crowds, we managed to walk uphill in the park to a reasonably quiet place, where we spread out our lunch on a bench and munched away, while first a hammer-dulcimer player and then a violinist played music for the folks (CDs available). It was actually very, very nice, and the park itself is a surreal Disney-land like experience, with more people than you can imagine.

After we ate, we spent a lot of time wandering the many paths, climbing high above the park entrance, to a great viewpoint overlooking the entire Barcelona basin. We could see for miles and miles and miles, the blue Mediterranean off in the distance, and landmarks like Sagrada Familia and Montjuic orienting the view.

By now it was almost 3 pm, and we'd been doing our tourist thing, once again, for many hours.

We got back on the Tourist Bus (luckily, no wait, and seats on top!) and rode around the Red route, as we had done yesterday. It was getting pretty chilly by the time we reached the stop near our home. We walked the few block to our familiar neighborhood, and now we are there, having had a cup of nice mint tea, lying in bed, me typing and Karen reading the thriller she picked up in Tarragona.

We will relax a bit, then head out for some dinner. Tomorrow is the last day of this trip.

weather has changed

Writing this early Sunday morning from the terrace of our B&B, wearing my polar-fleece.

We are aiming for another flea-market today, and maybe more Gaudi stuff. We have seen so much art on this trip that it's a bit overwhelming.

Good thing our B&B (The Patio) is away from all that (about 10 blocks east of the Sants station).

Yesterday was our bad-food day, which is why the normal obsessive description of every bite was missing.

Time for some coffee.

more fun in barcelona

We got up early and were 8th in line at 8:45, at the Sagrada Familia. When the doors opened at 9, we headed to the lift, and were in the first lift to the top that day. The views of the city the immense scaffolding, the bizarrely-ornamented towers and facades, the workers casually strolling around at great heights -- it was all just right.

We stayed up there until the crush of arriving sight-seers drove us to the stairs down, and down, and down, and down, back to ground level. Dizzying and fun. Inside the under-construction nave, you can see the plaster forms and skeleton of the someday-to-be-finished cathedral.

In the museum, it was interesting to see a sequence of photos, going back to 1908. It's come a long way, but there's still plenty to be done. It was interesting to see, in the museum, some large sculptures from the original building, that had to be replaced in the 1990s.

From there, we bought the 2-day pass to the daunting Tourist Bus, which, actually, turned out to be kinda fun. The Red route took us, with great seats on top, across the northern section of town. We got out at the Pedralbes monestary, and found its 14th century nave filling with somber, well-dressed folks. A choir was rehearsing, and at noon, a service started, with choral music and what appeared to be a memorial service. We sat in the back for a long time, enjoying the sounds and the light streaming thru the lovely stained-glass.

Continuing on the Red bus, we got off at the palace containing the museums of Decorative Arts and Ceramics. We didn't pay any admission, and nobody asked us to, so we just wandered around. It was pretty interesting, and the building itself, and the grounds, were quite nice.

Eventually, we changed to the Blue Bus, and took its entire route, not getting back to the B&B until almost 7 pm. We were getting tired, so we only got out once, at the Miro museum, and its promise of total wackiness was fulfilled. What a wild and crazy guy - you have to admire vision and creativity like that.

We haven't decided where the Tourist Bus will take us tomorrow, but today was a lot easier than the past two, with more riding and much less walking. Then why are we tired?

Going out for dinner soon. Two more full days, and then we head home.

basking in barcelona

After a proper English breakfast (i.e. no ham), we set off for the local flea-market, which happens several times a week.

Navigating the metro was easy, and we soon joined the throngs, looking for treasures. We bought several things, Karenh once again proving that her haggling skills are superb.

After hours of examining everything in minute detail, we headed off for lunch, ending up at a neighborhood place for the menu del dia. I had a kind of casserole of mashed potato, cheese, bacallo, and paprika, followed by a bottifara (sausage) accompanied by a kind of eggplant fritter, a beer, and lemon ice-cream. Karen had a lovely salad with tuna, egg, olives ad a ham slice, followed by a grilled lamb chop that she pronounced better than the vastly-more-expensive lamb we had in Madrid, so long ago. I had a taste and, of course, she was right. 8,90 euros per person.

Satisfied, we walked the few blocks to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's astonishing, unfinished monument to obsession and religious experience. The crowds were preposterous, so we left the area soon, and headed, by metro, down to the old city, in search of the cathedral Santa Maria del Mar, which, rumor has it, is one of the best around.

It was closed for the afternoon break. We were feeling that we were striking out.

We walked the few blocks, through the dim, narrow streets, to the Picasso museum, which was actually quite fascinating, concentrating primarily on early work.

The rooms traced his development, with lots of biographical background. For example, there was one large painting that, at age 16, won second place (!) in a Madrid competition.

For me, the best gallery contained his many wonderfaul variations on the famous Velasquez painting we had seen at the Prado, 'Las Meninas'. Each brilliant variation was like a glimpse into a parallel universe. I loved it.

We returned to the cathedral - it was open and amazing. Begun in the 1320's, it is impossibly high and wide, with graceful vaulting soaring above the forest of massive pillars. There were 'a few' stained-glass windows, too, especially the western-facing rose masterpiece, from the 15th century.

After a bit we left, walked around the harbor, amid more amazing 19th century buildings, got a drink and some tapas, then returned to the cathedral, where we now sit, listening to a gorgeous vocal concert.

The voices of the two dozen singers are echoing soothing religious music, in this beautifully-lit, 14th century setting.

It's better than you can imagine.

barcelona!

We spent a couple of hours browsing the open air market there along the Tarragona rambla, before returning to the hotel, checking out, rolling our bags to the train station, and boarding the train north to Barcelona. It took about an hour, and was very pleasant, traveling along the shores of the Mediterranean.

We walked the few blocks from the Sants station to our home for the next 5 days, a B&B called 'The Patio', and it is just like home. Run by an english woman and her spanish husband, it is an oasis in a very big city. Elizabeth welcomed us, with lots of information about things to do and places to eat, which was good, since we were hungry.

We went to a neighborhood bistro where it was 'paella day' and ordered the Menu de Dia. We both had the paella for the first course, and it was pretty darn good. For the second, Karen had salmon and I had chicken (which was served with a piece of potato and a beautifully grilled sweet red pepper. On the menu, it said the inclusive price covered either water, a beer, or wine. I ordered a beer and a nice tall one arrived. Karen ordered white wine, expecting a glass, and they brought a bottle. We expected to be charged extra for it, but, believe it or not, it was all included. Chocolate mousse for dessert made for a VERY satisfying lunch. 20 euros - a bargain!

We walked the 10 or so blocks east to Casa Mila, one of the Gaudi treasures. The tour is quite worthwhile, especially cavorting around on the bizarre rooftop. Look it up. Really, a fascinating place, and a great introduction to Gaudi for us.

We took the metro back to our home, stopping first at a nearby grocery store to buy some provisions for a light supper, which we just finished. Four more full days here in Barcelona.

Not bad.

Last night in tarragona

We had a nice dinner at a busy, friendly Basque restaurant in the Placa de la Font, called Txantxangorri (just try to say that after a bottle of wine, I couldn't).

We shared a nice salad, with warm goat cheese, apples, bacon and walnuts, then Karen had an egg dish with mushrooms and foie (it's hard to say what that was), and I had cuttlefish in a mysterious, salty sauce.

The place was bustling, with a surprising number of tables occupied by women.

Instead of dessert there, we walked back to the hotel, stopping at a gellato place for a small, perfect cup of hazelnut ice-cream.

It's a lovely night, warm and happy. Time for bed.

Tomorrow we leave Tarragona to begin the final, Barcelona phase.

Some fun, eh?

on the trail to nowhere

Tarragona, like Segovia, boasts a Roman aqueduct as one of its many claims to fame. Naturally, we had to check it out.

After another meager, expensive breakfast, we found the bus and took the 10 minute ride to the 'Pont del Diablo' stop, beside a busy highway.

A 10 minute walk brought us to the aqueduct, but it (like much of spain) is under rennovation, so acces was limited and giant scaffolding covered much of the structure. What we saw was ok, if a 2000 year old engineering marvel is your cup of tea. However, compared to Segovia's, this "Devil's Bridge" is much less devilish.

The park had a network of trails, so we hiked around a bit, and it was pleasant, to say the most. After a while, we turned around, and made our way back to the bus stop, and the next bus was on time, to the minute.

Back in town, we grabbed a filling, cheap lunch at one of the always-reliable kebab joints, then went back to the hotel for a siesta.

An hour later we packed up a lot of stuff and returned to the beach, where we now sit. Karen just emerged from the surf and now it's my turn.

it's terrific in tarragona

We got coffee and a nosh at a sunny outdoor café on the Rambla, and then Karen was hypnotically drawn to the massive outdoor market that filled the Rambla, offering everything from cheap cosmetics to socks and underwear, kitchen utensils, and lots of clothing, from cheap to surprisingly not-so-cheap.

We bought something for someone back home, then headed to one of the civic attractions, as mentioned in all guide-books and web sites: the walk along the old city walls.

Unfortunately, a large part is closed on weekdays, so the 3 euros apiece didn't buy us much. My recommendation is to skip it and head for the Cathedral.

For a bit more (3,80) per person, we got to immerse ourselves in art and religion spanning 1200-1800, and the free audio guides were very good, if a little too detailed at times. Great stuff, especially the amazing cloister, with its ingenious, varied carvings

By then, we were ready for lunch, and found the right place, downhill from the cathedral. It was a teeny bistro called 'La Teulas' and they did right by us.

For the first course, we both had huevos del plato, a casserole with two eggs, chorizo and tomatoes, baked and served bubbling, with bread.

Second course: Karen had a slab of grilled beef with herbed potatoes and I had a delicious creamy rissoto, with red peppers and other subtle additions

Time for tourism in tarragona

We did find the kebab joint we passed earlier and it was cheap, filling and actually good. Then we went to sleep. Sometimes, that's all you can do.

It's now Tuesday morning - we arrived in Madrid two weeks ago today, and, apparently, done a lot since then.

It's a lovely morning - a cool fresh breeze blows from the blue, endless Mediterranean, and there are both coffee and Roman antiquities in our future.

What could be better? See ya' later.

too tired in tarragona

Yes, our room is nice, overlooking the Mediterranean, but our energy is very low.

We walked around the neighborhood just a little, and sat on a bench on the Rambla, watching the parade of locals and tourists, while brushing off the persistent flies.

It's after 6 pm, and we haven't eaten much, but enthusiasm for another dinner of Spanish food, after 8 pm, is waning. We did pass a turkish kebab place earlier - wonder if we can find it again.

There's a McDonalds a few doors down, but I just can't.

time to tarry in tarragona

The train ride south from Figueres took about 3 hours, but we have found the hotel I reserved *months* ago, and I am sitting in the lobby, waiting 20 minutes for the perfect room to be ready.

Karen is sitting by the pool, soaking her feet. Tarragona looks like a beautiful place. We'll get settled and then check it out.

But first, a shout-out to friends: Kim, Barbra, Jane, Steve, Gail, Teri, and everyone else (you *can* leave a comment once in a while, you know), we miss you all.

Now, perhaps, a stroll by the Mediterranean...

The day of three 'onas'

Dinner was at 9, as usual, and was very good, as usual.

We were the only native english speakers at the table, but the charming young woman sitting across fom us had enough english to converse.

Even better, her significant-other, from Barcelona (whose english was pretty much limited to 'very good'), went thru my Barcelona guide-book with enthusiasm, circling every recommended site and restaurant.

This morning, we take the train south from Figueres, passing thru, in the course of two hours, Girona, Barcelona, and Tarragona.

I believe these are all the major onas. Let me know if there are others.