06.17.07
Something that tickled me
I found this representation of Bess, from “Porgy and Bess”
05.29.07
Sidebar Widgets
I’ve been mucking around with sidebar widgets. They look great in principal, but I had them disperse my content all over the page and then, when I tried to correct, give me a PHP error.
Ho humm. Time to start again.
TechTags Plugin [ php | wordpress | sidebar | widgets | plugins ]
04.27.07
10 Reasons Why It’s Better to be Mechanic than a Lawyer
We’ve all heard the one about difference between a dead rat and a dead lawyer in the middle of the highway. No? There are skid marks in front of the rat.
There’s little doubt that mechanics beat lawyers hands down in the popularity stakes. On the other hand, there are few mechanics that earn more than a lawyer. So is it better to be a mechanic or a lawyer? A truck fixer or an ambulance chaser? We believe the former and here’s why:
- The Pirelli calendar is appropriate decorative artwork for your workplace.
- You don’t have to pretend to like sushi.
- Spilling soup down your front will not cost you $150 in Hermès.
- The corporate ladder is not something found in the Snap-on catalog.
- You will never feel the need to order sparkling water in a bar.
- Of all the things you thought about Anna Nicole Smith, having her as a client was not one of them.
- Georgio Armani Collezioni 3 button suit $900. Blue Sears Coverall $34.99
- Belching loudly in front of your boss is not likely to have any long term effect on your career prospects.
- Until proven otherwise, no one assumes you’re a lying, thieving SOB.
- You’re colleagues names are Nick, Joe and Mani. Not Wienburger, Cirrincione and Greengrass.Thanks to Mechanic Schools
03.08.07
De Juana Chaos
Over the last few weeks, a political confrontation has been brewing in Spain, and yesterday it exploded. The saddest of it all is how poorly the political class, if it might be called that in Spain, stood up to the challenge.
Iñaki de Juana Chaos is a cold-blooded murderer of the most despicable kind. I believe he has 25 assassinations to his name, shows no repentance, and, after many years in prison, has picked up another three for threatening to carry on once free. Then he went on hunger strike.
As he became emaciated and began to appear close to death, the Spanish authorities were posed with a problem. There is no death penalty in Spain (thankfully) and there is, furthermore, implicit in the law the notion that no one should die in custody of the state while it can be avoided.
With this notion in mind, the Supreme Court advised the Ministry of the Interior that De Juana Chaos should released to a clinic, while still under preventative custody. The Ministry of the Interior accepted this advice.
Still stinging from lost the elections of 2004, having been caught out as barefaced liars over who they believed to be the authors of the 11 March train bombings, the “Popular” Party (“PP”) saw an opportunity to exploit at the expense of the government of Rodriguez Zapatero.
I am no fan of Zapatero – I am not a socialist in European sense – and I do not believe that De Juana Chaos should have been given a different treatment from any other prisoner for his decision to stop eating. I do not believe in the death penalty, and I do not believe in the encouragement of suicide, but I do believe in the allowing sane adults to be responsible for their actions. For that reason, I believe that De Juana Chaos should have been allowed to fulfill his mission to starve himself to death.
Nonetheless, the Spanish state does not, and has not acted that way since the beginning of democracy. The Court advised that the life of De Juana Chaos was in danger and that measures should be taken to save that life. Few would have lamented a decision that allowed him to carry on. Nonetheless, that is not the practice of the Spanish State. That the current government should have followed the advice of the Court on this matter is not the issue, and certainly not reason for the public to take the streets, rallied by an opposition that demonstrably followed this policy during its time in government. The correct reaction would be to debate how the penal system should react in such cases in future.
The leader of the opposition, Mariano Rajoy, has pushed the right buttons to put Mr. Zapatero on edge over the decision, and Mr. Zapatero has shown himself to be, as on other occasions, a political midget. That Mr. Zapatero has acted in such a defensive manner – so reactive, so defensive, apologetic – is disappointing. Having said that, I prefer him a hundred times to the alternative. Mr. Rajoy is more fluent in speech and body language than the Prime Minister. But in allowing himself to follow the bullyboy tactics into which he his pushed by his henchmen (and his rivals), by his clear hypocrisy (he used to be Minister of the Interior and moved ETA’s prisoners wherever he liked for whatever excuse, freeing at least one future murderer prematurely), he is not someone for whom anyone should want to vote. He has replaced policy with lies, because his supporters within his party and within the press are prepared to back him up. He accuses the government of giving concessions to ETA without a single piece of evidence, and when the bombing in Barajas provided evidence to the contrary he continues. The De Juana Chaos case would seem finally to support his case if it weren’t for the fact that he conceded more as minister to exactly the same prisoner.
The political panorama in Spain is depressing. There is no policy or leadership on the economy, on education, on health or on immigration. There is only the sound of politicians, a vapid bunch of intellectual dwarfs and outright crooks.
02.22.07
New scooter
How times change. I used to be a fan of nasty Japanese sportsbikes. The day before yesterday I took delivery of a new Yamaha X-Max 250. It’s sweet, and my gym stuff and a helmet fit under the seat. Perfect for buzzing around Madrid. Here’s an X-Max photo. (Mine’s yellow.)
02.13.07
No grand slam for Ireland again
The 2007 Six Nations has had me - again - hoping for the unlikey - an Irish Grand Slam. Surely, the team that had back to back victories over Australia and South Africa could handle France. Well, no they couldn’t.
The one thing the Irish are world champions at is tragedy. They look like they’re going to do it, then fail heroically. Mind you, if I’m honest, there was nothing heroic in the missed tackles that gave France a try one minute to time, just complacency. Two minutes earlier, when Ireland didn’t believe the game was in their hands, that try would have been impossible.
Oh well. As long as they beat England, all is forgiven.
Enough Snow
Well, it turned out there was enough snow for some good skiing. I opted for skis over snowboard because of ice and, if I’m being honest, diminshed flexibility - also known as no longer being a spring chicken. Still, having not skied for five years I discovered it’s like riding a bicycle. After a nervous morning, the turns were loosening up, and thanks to my recent gym fad, I stayed the distance. By the end, I was getting back to old form. Now I want to go again.
Morzine is a good resort. The Morzine pistes themselves lacked snow, but with a fast cable car to the higher, purpose-built Avoriaz and, from there, connections to the big Portes du Soleil ski area, there’s no shortage of places to go.
01.23.07
No snow
So, I’m off skiing to Morzine in France this Thursday and, although the forecast is improving, the conditions don’t look good. There was some snow before Christmas but very little since. The village and lower slopes are green and there has been a lot of rain. While I’m reluctant to believe that every bout of freak weather is attributable to global warming, there seem to be many odd things going on. I hope that now the proper winter is going to begin.
01.11.07
Wonderful Pau Gasol
Here is something rather cheering. I’ve never been a huge fan of basketball, believing as a friend of mine once said that, “only the Americans could have invented a sport where a goal is scored every ten seconds.” Still, if it’s on, and I have nothing pressing, I’ll watch it.
Last night was one of those nights - baby in bed, wife out with friends, too tired to do any of the necessary DIY in my house - that is perfect for watching something without having to explain why I’m watching it. The something was Grizzlies vs Lakers. I understand the Grizzlies have been having a torid time recently, not least because one of their key men, Pau Gasol has been injured with a fractured foot. Well, last night they stuffed the Lakers.
Here in Spain, Pau is a real hero. Local boy makes big time in star-filled NBA. What’s more, he seems a nice guy. He’s polite, well-spoken and unassuming. When you have to listen daily to interviews with idiot football prima donnas, this is refreshing.
Last night, he may have been flattered by a poor Lakers defence, but I thought he was magnificent. Fast, cunning and powerful. He seemed so fully in tune with his team and was reading the game so splendidly he had me bewitched. The beard is good too.
First post proper
Now that I have finally had time to investigate the main functions of Wordpress and worked out how to change the template so that this blog looks prettier (it’s called Ocadia), it’s time to make a first proper post to this blog.
The fact is, I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a blog for some time. One of my main concerns has been my ability to be consistent. Can a write something that someone might want to read various times a week? Can I keep going week after week? I’m certainly grumpy enough. I have no end of complaints about the way of the world. Now and again there are even events and novelties I find cheering. Clearly, there is material. I just have to make sure there is will.