Thursday, February 28, 2013

Sneaky!

I feel safer already

I feel safer already...

..maybe because I don't have relatives in the Texas School system.

The Temples of Hong Kong

Pin Lo Monastery
Not all the temples, of course, just two.
.
Pin Lo Gate
First there is a very beautiful Pin Lo Monastery associated with the Big Buddha.  You will see lot's of flowers there since it is the end of Chinese New Year Festivities.  It was peaceful and a zen break.
The Bell at Pin Lo
.
Eddie and I lite incense for the good fortune of our friends at the temple.
.
Inside the Man Mo Temple (Mo side)
See the spiral incense hanging from the ceiling.
The next day we visited the Man Mo Temple in the heart of the city. One thing I loved about this temple was the spiral incense burners.  As they burned smaller, a monk would raise them up to another level in the roof.  So there was a cool effect on the ceiling.  There are 2 sides of the Man Mo Temple, one dedicated to God of Literature (Man) and one to the God of War (Mo).  The Mo side was more ornate, but the literature side was very busy with adherents giving offerings for the New Year.
Hanging holders in the Man side.  Each "price tag" has a hand written prayer


Justice Scalia Describes voting as "Perpetuating a Racial Entitlement"

Justice Scalia likes to shock.  I mean it gives him a little stiffy, no doubt, to make people gasp.  I mean the self-satisfied grin on his face is just so priceless.  It looks like a 2 year old that just made boom-boom in the hallway because mom said "No more cookies."
.
His latest boom-boom on the rug concerns the Voting Rights Act.  It was enacted to allow all citizens to vote.
.
For decades, certain states and parts of other states had made it almost impossible for minorities (at the time, African-Americans) to vote.  Predictably these were mainly southern slave states, where the 15th amendment (the right to vote) and the 13th amendment (to end slavery) were not popular ones.  Side note, Mississippi only officially approved the 13th amendment this year (February 7th, 2013) - although they have had to abide by it for a long time (what's 147 years between friends).
.
These states or districts had various methods to deny access to voters; poll-taxes, or pop up literacy tests, or impossible to prove residency requirements that were applied only to blacks.  Other methods (and one recently used) were to systematically gerrymander voting districts so that minorities were denied a voice, even when they made up a significant percentage of the residents.
.
This last problem (drawing districts to deny minority representation) happened just last year in Texas in order to disenfranchise hispanic voters.  (Gerrymandering is legal to draw boundaries to favor a political party, but is not legal to favor a racial bloc.)  It was blocked in court by the Voting Rights Act procedures.
.
Originally, the Voting Rights Act was passed to address this in the 1960s.  It has worked pretty well and was up for renewal in 2006.  Congress did a study of the effects of the Voting Rights Act, to ensure it was still needed and if it should be renewed (it does have an end-date associated with it).   Since the vastly disproportionate problems with minority voting rights were still occurring in the same geographic areas (example: Texas), the Voting Rights Act was renewed in 2006 98 -0 in the Senate and 390 - 33 in the House of Representatives and signed by Republican George W. Bush.
.
But the law is no fun for Justice Scalia when it comes to his playpen.  So this Supreme Court reached down to a District level decision in Alabama.  One that was in line with all previous Supreme Court decisions and decided to "review" the decision.  In discussing the case two days ago, Justice Scalia said, "... isn't this perpetuating a racial entitlement?"  A Supreme Court Justice called the right to vote - guaranteed by our Constitution - a "racial entitlement".  Apparently after leaving that turd in the punchbowl to audible gasps, he sat back, self-satisfied and amused with his razor sharp wit and legal mind.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Better than a Poke In the Eye with a Sharp Stick? Not Really

Okay, I used to review off Broadway, I have seen amazing shows, okay shows and terrible shows.
.
Tonight I went to Playwrights Horizon to see The Flick.  I paid for it since I have season tickets.
.

It was, quite honestly, the worst show I remember ever seeing.  And that includes some real stinkers.  It meanders for no reason.  The playwright said she worried about the conversion from actual 35 mm film to digital and the lose of an experience of watching a movie.  I mean no disrespect towards the actors.  In fact, recent Julliard graduate Alex Hanna comes off quite well.  When the lights come up (again) and the ushers start sweeping up - the action of the piece, young  Alex is asleep.  He plays it well - not as well as some snoring in the audience, but pretty damn well.
.
He is pushed until he wakes up, mumbles "Sorry man" and hurries off stage.  He is the lucky one.
.
This picture is from the show, be a scene that was cut because it gives off the faint aroma of humor.  And humor is far from delivered.  (PS - they never sit in this configuration and the young black man never reads a letter in the show, nor cracks a smile).

Day One in Hong Kong: Visit to the Big Buddha

First of 3 major lifts on the Cable Car
So on our first full day in Hong Kong we went up to the Big Buddha.  It is a hell of a trip.  First, you take a subway to to Tung Chung.  Their subways are really clean and new.  In Hong Kong everything is announced in Chinese then English (a subtle change from when I was first there when it was English then Chinese - but minor).
You could see through the floor of the cable car and others walked a path
.
Once at the end of the line, you took a Cable Car (like a gondola, not a San Francisco Cable Car) 4 miles (or 5.7 kilometers) to the "village".  Village is a nice way of saying brand new tourist crapfest.  But a nice crapfest, so there you go.
.
You enter through the village, and the Big Buddha sit above it.
Me after most of the climb
.
It is 112 feet tall and weights about 280 tons.  It is made of Bronze and is the large Bronze Buddha in the world (so they say).
.
You climb up about 300 steps (with about 3,000 other people :-) and the vista just gets more and more impressive.  He sits on a Lotus Flower throne.
.
The Lotus throne.

It was a great way to start our trip.  You might also notice that Eddie and I are in shorts and a t-shirt and everyone else is bundled up for winter.  It was between 68 and 72 degrees F, and for them it was freezing.  For us, not so much.
Up close he is spectacular. The markings on his hand symbolize the removal of affliction 

Ass with all Buddha, big earlobes mean great wisdom.
Since I have Dumbo Ears, I tend to agree with that.

Missing

When I turned 16 - and until the week I moved to New York, I did what I though (and still think) most people do in order to remove stress.  I headed to the beach - especially at night.
.
And by "headed to the beach" I mean -  I drove down the 405  to the 10 West (when I was at ULCA) or out the 10 West past the 405 - when I got older.
.
The 405 (diagonal) and The 10 (horizontal) in West LA
From the 10 / 405 interchange it is less than 6 miles to the beach.  And the 6 or 7 west bound lanes peel off one or two at a time.  A couple leave at Bundy, one at Centennial  one at 26th and one at Lincoln, then the final 3 merge into 2 lanes westbound and you go into a curved tunnel.  And - suddenly, magically, you are shot from the tunnel onto the Pacific Coast Highway like you just won the world's biggest game of pinball.
.
The 10 tunnel pops out to Pacific Coast Highway PCH
The first time you do it you are amazed.  The second time, you find it a little anti-climatic.  But then, THEN, it is a process.  As the lanes peal off, like an orange (which grows in the weather there - try growing citrus in this place), I digress... As the lanes peal off you can feel your stress get lighter.  You feel your hurt and worry and anxiousness peal away a little at a time.
.
Now, I went out PCH past the California incline and where Sunset Blvd. hits the water (before Sunset hits the water, it is Santa Monica, but right there, after Sunset - for a few miles - it is the city of Angels again for a little while.  And like natures valet, there is this turn when you can park on the soft shoulder.
.
Where you sit and listen to the Ocean (viewed during the day)
And at night you climb down about 4 boulders.  And then, depending on the tide, there are 2 boulder to the water or to a tiny strip of sand.  And you sit and sit and sit.  And your cares melt away like some new age meditation chant that you don't even have to say.  Think of it as plugging in your iPhone, the green light buzzes for a second, then energy just flows.
.
From that spot on the rocks, the road is just a few feet away, but all you hear is the sound of the surf.  Because the Pacific is loud and demands attention.  No offense, but the Atlantic is about as attention demanding as - well I can't even think of anything, because the Atlantic makes no impression what-so-ever.  The one place it comes mildly close to the Pacific is in Maine, and they made that a National Park.  The Pacific is like that from Washington to Mexico.
.
And you feel the surf seep into your psyche.  And you look down south, and you see the lights of LA, Santa Monica, Venice, Playa Del Ray, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach twinkle and fade in the distance.  If you look East (it's at a curve in the Highway), there is the faint glow of Malibu just over the headland.  And for a moment - A MOMENT all is right with the world.
.
How can this not energize you
Those moments sometimes happen here in New York, but the are serendipitous.  You stumble upon them or you don't.  You wake up at 2AM with anxiety or worry or just pent up energy you have to use and your screwed.  New York doesn't give a shit about how you feel.  You know what happens when you try to wander New York to find your "special place" - if you are lucky enought to miss stepping in the vomit or pee, somebody calls you a motherfucker because, well just because that is the semi-official hello of the city.  Often all three things happen at once..
.
You wake up the same way at 2AM anywhere from the South Bay to the Valley to Downtown LA and the God of the Pacific says, "You need a shoulder to lean on kid?  Come on here and get a hug."
.
And good grief I want a hug today.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The InLaws on HorseBack

Well after meeting them in Minnesota as an Athletic Director of Mankato State (now UM at Mankato) and as a Special Needs Educator I would not have picked them to be doing a Billy Crystal impersonation on horse back.
.
They don't look too bad at it. (Western Saddle, thank goodness - that English Riding is for strong pinkie'd wussies.)
.

Shuddup

Our elevators have signs for upcoming events, gym notices, street closures, etc.  When there isn't anything important a very nice guy posts pictures of the city, often with pithy quotes.
.
Well, it's winter and he thinks we all need to be cheered up.  Just as an aside, You know what would cheer me up? The end of winter.
.
You know what doesn't cheer me up, fun quotes like "Anyone who says sunshine doesn't bring happiness hasn't danced in the rain.  William Shakespeare."
,
This is a) not a quote I can find by William Shakespeare.  I think Al is lying about this particular quote &...
.
And b) it is pure crapola.
.
Anyone who thinks sunshine doesn't bring happiness hasn't lived in Los Angeles.  You know what kind of rain is fun to dance in?  Backlot rain.  The kind of rain Gene Kelley danced in - and when he was done THEY TURNED IT THE HELL OFF.
"I'm Dancing & Singing in the Rain" CUT turn the damn water off.

Monday, February 25, 2013

I've Been Gone, Nothing Has Changed

This picture hails from the annuals of, "Are You Kidding Me - or Do You Think We Are Idiots?"
Craptastic Positioning!
.
For those of you outside the country (or with painfully short memories), last year before the election Congress couldn't get their act together to raise the Debt Ceiling.  So they decided to "hold their feet to the fire".  They passed a temporary law that was a poison pill.  If they didn't get a reall budget passed, then the "Sequester" would take hold - cutting a ton of money.  Half from the Defense Department (thought to be sacrosanct for Republicans) and half from programs like Food Stamps, Unemployment, Air Traffic control, Job Training, Education and Infrastructure (things Republicans don't care about by whining Democrats do).
.
The idea here was that they would make not doing anything so painful, they would have to do something.  And they did.  When it turned out that Republicans didn't take the Senate (and actually lost seats in both chambers) they put off a decision for 3 months.  You can't really go over the budget, so they voted to ignore it for 3 months.
.
Yes, really.
.
But now the three months is almost up and the Republican House of Representatives and the Democratic Senate once again cannot agree how to fix it.  So the Republican's new plan is to blame it on Obama.  Which I expected, but this "obamaquester" is HIGHlarious.  A lie of such wondrous  porpotions that only Fox News will repeat it.
.
You see, to get to sequestration, a bill had to be introduced in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.  In this country, a President cannot introduce a bill - it is a function of Congress.  And that bill has to be passed by a majority of the chamber.  That means a majority of the House of Representatives (controlled by Republicans) and a majority of the Senate (controlled by Democrats).  They the 2 chambers must reconcile any differences.  Only then does it get sent to the President to sign it into law.
.
Honesly, you might as well put "#OBAMAHATESBABIES" on the placard.
.
Obamaquester!  Love it!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Heading home. Monday morning here, I don't ever think I missed watching Oscars before

Well, it was a nice smooth and sleep filled flight.  I came back to very few surprises at the Oscars (albeit Ang Lee - didn't have that one in the pool).  It sounds like it was a good telecast to miss, if you must miss one.
.
I'll post some Hong Kong pictures later.  We had a blast.

Ed tries to talk me out of Birdcage (successfully)

Look dainty...by getting a huge beer

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Morning at Bird Market

Eddie at The Peak

DoubleDecker Trams

 We had great time wandering abouit town today.  After a nice stroll around the  markets, we had lunch at Din Tai Fung - which has the best soup dumplings - evah!

After a romp around the Causeway area we headed back to the hotel.  It got to be a little tiring so we took one of the old double decker tram.   Fun

HSBC lion

Touching the foot of the HSBC Lion is considered good luck.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Had to stop at our favorite store!!

Hong Kong Island from the Star Ferry


We went to the night market this evening.  Afterwards, we walked through Kowloon's main drag to the ferry. We took it back to our side of the harbor.  It was a great day.  LOTS of walking.

Hello

Eddie with the Buddha
The big Buddha is huge. He sits on lotus petals. You can see the reverse swastika on his chest. The symbol is much older than the Nazi's.
.
The sun came out as we headed up the hill.

Walked up to largest Bronze Buda in the world

Eddie standing at the bottom of the steps.  We took a 4 mile gondola ride to get there.  it was totally fun, with a glass bottom.  Everyone walks up all those stairs to the top.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Statue Square as we arrived

This is outside of our hotel.  On the far left is the bank of China. The lights on the edges cross - you can see one started to light up.  The red one is the famous HSBC building by I.M.Pei.
.
Weather is perfect for walking around, about 70 degrees.

Eddie with Chinese New Year Bush

Landed and checked in; Hong Kong

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

What Does This Mean (Aside from the End of Abortion)

North Dakota is well on its way to defining a "person" as the act of conception (LINK to law).
.

.
I wonder what this means, in a practical sense, besides the end of abortion.  They have carved out some exceptions as noted below..
Contains an exception for “medical treatment of life-threatening conditions of pregnancy”, for “contraception administered before clinically diagnosable pregnancy,” and for “screening, collecting, preparing, transferring, or cryopreserving of a human being created through in vitro fertilization for the purpose of being transferred to a human uterus”.
.
So this doesn't make IUDs or Morning After pills illegal, since both act before conception is detectable. It also removes the problems with invitro - although it is a rather arbitrary distinction - you can kill a fertilized egg if you are making it on purpose, but not if it is an accident.
.
This same law passed previously but had to be returned because of the massive cost (relative to North Dakota) because now the state MUST provide free pre-natal care, since they are  no longer "pre-natal" but now are people.
.
On a practical side it raises some issues.
.
If a woman drinks alcohol, smokes cigarettes or does drugs when pregnant - REGARDLESS if the woman knows or not she is pregnant - she can be charged with endangerment of a minor.  Having a glass of wine while pregnant at 1 week pregnant is now EXACTLY the same as pouring wine down the throat of a newborn.  Aren't bartenders now responsible to check the pregnancy status of any woman before serving them?  I mean, the bartender would go to jail if he served a child hours old, and there is now no difference.
.
If there is, at the time of any accident and before an operation on a woman, does the medical team have to determine if she is pregnant?  Because many drugs and operations you would do to save a woman's life would threaten an embryos life.  Since everyone is just as much a person at 1 day of conception as it is at 5 years of age.  And all you need it 1 or 2 operations where an embryo is lost before the law suits start.
.
If a woman takes normal medicine that might harm an embryo (say Lipitor or Rogain) is she liable from the moment of conception?  How long after sex must a woman not take any possible drugs?  I don't know how early pregnancy is detectable now.
.
If a woman playing college sports suffers a hit with internal bleeding, do we check to see if she was pregnant (known or unknown)?  And if she was pregnant - even 1 week pregnant, do we charge the opposing player with murder?  I mean if an opposing player intentionally hit a 5 year old on the sidelines and killed them, murder.  If 4 cells or an undetectable 3 week embryo is the same as a child - isn't accidentally causing bleeding either murder or at least child endangerment?
.
Should we restrict our breeding population to non-contact sports?  I  mean we wouldn't let a 8 month pregnant woman play field hockey, isn't it just the same (they are carrying a PERSON) with a woman that might have a 2 week embryo?  And you can say the scientifically that the risk isn't the same, but scientifically an 8 cell embryo isn't a person, so this isn't a scientific question.
.
Then there are the basic age questions.  Does this mean that in North Dakota you can drink at 20 Years and 3 months?  Can you drive at 14 years and 9 months?  Do the athletes in North Dakota lose a year of college eligibility versus other states (except for mormons - there is an age limit)?
.
And, finally, are we really and honestly willing to give equal weight of life to a newborn, 5 year old child, 20 year old woman and 4 divided cells?  Does every woman capable of being pregnant have to have a pregnancy test hours before any operation that might use full body anesthesia?
.
I guess I am not willing to reclassify "woman" as incubators only.  But then, I don't live in North Dakota.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Cool Article on "Gloss"

As you may remember, my nephew is in a band called Gloss.  They were just written up in Gimme Noise (Twin City's Music Culture).  Here is the LINK to "The 14 Twin Cities college bands you need to hear"..
.
And here is the article...
.
gloss.jpg
4. Gloss 

College connection: Guitarist Sean Neppl is a student at the U of M and lead singer Jeff Cornell attended Augsburg

The Twin Cities suburb of Eagan isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think of, as their Facebook puts it, "dreamy-ass jangle pop," but it is the first home of Minneapolis band Gloss. Neppl and Cornell grew up there and began playing music together in high school. After adding drummer Jordan Bleu, bassist Jackson Woolsey and synth player Emmy Carter, Gloss began playing shows last May and put out the single "Front Porch" in October. The song got talked up by bloggers around the world, who praised the band's ability to construct their complex gauzy and layered guitar pop without losing the groove. Gloss plays with an brightness like the sun shining off of new snow that you can't help but get lost in. According to Bleu, the band has only performed live all together about 10 times, but there are more dates ahead -- tonight at the Kitty Cat Klub and March 7 at 7th Street. A new single, titled "Ian's Dream" after a former band-mate and current album-cover artist Ian Miller, is set to drop on February 22, and a 7" featuring both singles and a B-side will be released via Manic Pop! records in April. 

Check out Gloss here.
 

Monday, February 18, 2013

The Oddness of the Chuck Hagel fight

I find the Chuck Hagel fight to be seriously odd.
.
For those of you not following it.  Chuck Hagel has been nominated by the President to be Secretary of Defense.  His background is impeccable.
.
He is a Vietnam Vet, and was an enlisted man (many of our Veteran Senators were officiers or pilots - he fought in the swamps).  He was well thought of for years and was one of John McCain's best Senatorial pals.  He is a Republican from the middle of the country (Nebraska).
.
Now Senator John McCain doesn't like his nomination - because Obama could nominate Jesus as Interior Minister and John McCain would find fault.  John McCain is a crotchety old fart who doesn't like anyone or anything Obama does - I get it.  He hasn't really gotten over losing.  But otherwise, what is the issue.  Chuck Hagel is a Republican (yes a Republican) Vietnam Vet.
.
Turns out there is a faux reason Republicans are opposing him and an actual, but unstated reason.
.
The faux reason is that Chuck Hagel once said the Jewish Lobby has too much power over Congress when referring to Israel.  First he was bar-b-qued by saying Jewish instead of Israeli and then he was bar-b-qued by stating (the obviously true fact) that the Israeli Lobby has too much power in Washington.
.
The actual reason is because big donors are against Hagel because he has stated there is room in the Defense Budget to cut costs and lower spending.  Defense Contractors (and there are a lot of them - a LOT) are pretty much dead set against lowering the defense  budget.  Yes, it is higher now that it was during the cold war. Much Higher.  And donors run the country in large part.
.
Ultimately Hagel will probably get the nod, but not before the Senate has filibustered him - which is a horrible new precedent that we have now set.  And not before the new asshole Senator from Texas asked him to prove he never took bribes from North Korea.  Not that there was any talk, innuendo or even gossip he did take any money from North Korea ever.  It was just something Senator DumbShit from Texas decided to say on TV to make the news.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (with Chita Rivera)


With Kelly in town we went to see a show.  She brought a friend (Angie) and we all had a blast.  Now getting a show was difficult.  Not because there aren't things open, but we wanted to get something she would enjoy very much.  But the 2 things we immediately thought of, Newsies and Book of Mormon, we have a) seen and b) are very very expensive on short notice.
.
Kelly, Angie and Ed in the lobby
So instead we opted for a revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  This is the first Broadway revival of it since it was first on Broadway, so it was fun.  It is a funny English Musical Hall (almost Panto) type show.
.
Chita with the cast, on the left in RED.
One of the most amazing things was Chita Rivera.  Chita is 80 years old.   Not only does she look dynamite, but she can still belt out a number or sell it softly.  Wonderous.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Chinese New Year parade

Miss New York Chinatown and her entourage.
 This week-end Ed's friend Kelly visited us and we all had a great time.  Some minor logistical problems however.
.
I wanted Dim Sum on Sunday and then we were to get a foot massage.  However Sunday was, in New York City, Chinese New Year Celebration.  Now I know the celebration goes on for weeks - but this was the parade day in Chinatown.  And the Dim Sum was in Chinatown.  Unfortunately right on the parade street.
.
It lead to much fun to see at the parade, but not a chance for Dim Sum.  Luckily, we went north and bumbled to a different Dim Sum house (The Red Egg) which was GREAT - despite the "B" in the window.
Soup Noodles @ Red Egg
.









Then a wonderful foot massage.
.
It is the Year of the Snake.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Cute - But Not So Bright

So while we were gone for the couple of days we stopped and saw Gavin and Mickey.  And here I heard a very very funny story about poor Clompers (Casey).
.
Casey (Clompers) at rest
Now Clompers' real name is Casey, but he is a little clumsy and he just seems a Clompers to me.  He appears to the be the happy accident of a Golden Lab and a optimistic Corgi.  To wit, he is fully Lab sized, except for his legs, which are about 1/3 the length he expects them to be.  Which makes him a clumsy Lab or a  exceptionally heavy lap dog.  Often both at the same time.
.
On to "the story"...  So, Gavin and Mickey have a house in Palm Springs.  And, as the pups are getting older, Gavin & Mickey purchased those dog food dishes that are raised a little off the ground on a metal stand.  You know, these are designed to help older dogs back and neck.  But they are not designed for Clompers, per say.
.
So Casey bends down and eats some food and then raises his head.  Now in the entire history of Trevor, Sammy and many other dogs we know, this would be the end of the story.
.
But somehow, SOMEHOW, Casey manages to get his name tag stuck between the bowl and the holder.  Let us say this is the result of rather exuberant excitement at the prospect of food - and the knowledge that if he wolfs his down, he gets a shot at Sammy's food.  So Casey lifts his head and the entire food infrastructure, food bowl, water bowl (mainly full) and metal apparatus moves with him.
.
Many dogs would, at this point, stop and bark, waiting for help to free them.  After all, we are at the constant beck and call of our pups, so a little whining and we would come running.  Clompers on the other hand, not so much your average dog.  It freaks poor Casey out, so he yanks his head up, still attached to the bowls, food and water.
.
As Casey yanks, the killing machine lunges after him, making loud vaguely metallic clanging sounds! This, of course, freaks Casey out - so he backs up quickly.  But the monstrosity follows him.  He barks, and the machine jumps at him.  So he runs, but the terrible killing machine has a hold of him and won't let him go.  Casey drags it around the kitchen, in dire fear for his life before Mickey frees him from the jaws of death!
.
Moral of the story.  Clompers is now afraid of the food bowls in the desert.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day

Well, we have returned from an extremely quick trip out to San Diego.  Ed had a board meeting with the company and I went.
Mother and Baby Panda
The little Panda wasn't on view much, but it was great fun to see him.
.
One thing I did that was a lot of fun was go to the zoo.  I enjoy the zoo and the birds - Ed hates an aviary.  I think he was frightened by a bird once.
.
Anywho, here are a few pictures.
.

A Fabulous of Flamingos

Duck mid flap