I'll keep this one brief, but on Sunday, 25 JAN, one of my dearest friends of almost 20 years, died in an auto accident on a South African motorway. Charles was one of the most generous, funny, fun loving and interesting people you'll meet. And now he is gone, his whole life and family no longer ahead of him.
To all who say there is some reason, or it's part of some grand plan, I say that's pura mierda y paja. If someone, some thing, spirit, diety, force, ideal, demigod, or however you view such things had this as part of their "plan," I do not want to and cannot be a part of that.
And if any of you knew Charles, you're bound to feel the same way.
Charles, we miss you badly.
(Even though I will never forget Charles, I may have to post a picture with this one.)
Monday, 26 January 2009
Saturday, 17 January 2009
New Year's Resolution
To post more of my insightful and sometimes profound (and sometimes not) thoughts for my massive, loyal audience.
Apologies for my absence, but now I plan to be back, and more regularly at that- all starting today!
Apologies for my absence, but now I plan to be back, and more regularly at that- all starting today!
My boy, O-boogie (thanks Greg P)
There was some loose discussion about Obama on the way home form school last week, which quickly prompted the following dialogue
O: Daddy, is Obama the President of the whole world?
Dad: No, there is no POT(W)W.
O: Is he the President of England?
Dad: No, he’s just the PEOTUS
*********************************************************************************
Then there was this gem one morning while making desayuno before school- Governments of the world take note, you may have something to learn here.
O: Meena, do you wish a shark would eat Junior (a.k.a. your 4th grade semi-tormentor)?
I guess the horse is already out of the barn, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder about putting such potentially diabolical assassination techniques into general circulation. I’m sure the CIA is reading.
Just think about how flawless, the tool. I mean, how are they ever going to figure out WHICH shark “offed” someone. Or even if they DO find the perpetrator, chances are that the evidence is at the bottom of the ocean somewhere (do sharks drop sinkers or floaters??). Even better, I would argue a shark’s appearing out of nowhere to eat someone as, say, they waited for the bus, would be every bit as surprising as a sniper's bullet fired from who-knows-where. And who’s going to stand up to a shark when he/she shows up to eat someone?? I’m not stepping in front of that . . . . bullet(?). But even if bodyguards, etc do try to intervene, chances are that the shark will just eat them, too. This is especially likely if you happen to have a 20 footer or so at your disposal.
I don’t think it’s so much of a threat now, but with techniques like these (and at such a young age), I picture a more twisted world if my boy ever ends up in a position of power.
O: Daddy, is Obama the President of the whole world?
Dad: No, there is no POT(W)W.
O: Is he the President of England?
Dad: No, he’s just the PEOTUS
*********************************************************************************
Then there was this gem one morning while making desayuno before school- Governments of the world take note, you may have something to learn here.
O: Meena, do you wish a shark would eat Junior (a.k.a. your 4th grade semi-tormentor)?
I guess the horse is already out of the barn, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder about putting such potentially diabolical assassination techniques into general circulation. I’m sure the CIA is reading.
Just think about how flawless, the tool. I mean, how are they ever going to figure out WHICH shark “offed” someone. Or even if they DO find the perpetrator, chances are that the evidence is at the bottom of the ocean somewhere (do sharks drop sinkers or floaters??). Even better, I would argue a shark’s appearing out of nowhere to eat someone as, say, they waited for the bus, would be every bit as surprising as a sniper's bullet fired from who-knows-where. And who’s going to stand up to a shark when he/she shows up to eat someone?? I’m not stepping in front of that . . . . bullet(?). But even if bodyguards, etc do try to intervene, chances are that the shark will just eat them, too. This is especially likely if you happen to have a 20 footer or so at your disposal.
I don’t think it’s so much of a threat now, but with techniques like these (and at such a young age), I picture a more twisted world if my boy ever ends up in a position of power.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Who Woulda Thunk It: An Angelino (Futbol Coach) in London
So I went to mt daughter's newly adopted football club's SAT a.m. training session this morning expecxint to play my usual, limited supporting role. I usually help shag balls (not sure what the proper English translation is for that?), play in some of the drills, etc. Initially, my participation was simply to support Meena and help her acclimate to new surroundings, faces and sport.
Laura, coach of the Flamingoes, is marvelous, and must be a good player given that she just moved to Arsenal women and was also called up to the England U-21's, The girls respond to her. Today, however, Laura had a match and was unable to make training.
After we had been at the field waiting for the director to arrive, she finally rolls up and asks me, "Rod, Laura has a match today. Can you warm the girls up?" What she really meant was, "Can you take the(entire) session?"I gladly agreed and thought it odd they'd bring an American over to coach a sport that the Enlish are most proud they invented.
Laura, coach of the Flamingoes, is marvelous, and must be a good player given that she just moved to Arsenal women and was also called up to the England U-21's, The girls respond to her. Today, however, Laura had a match and was unable to make training.
After we had been at the field waiting for the director to arrive, she finally rolls up and asks me, "Rod, Laura has a match today. Can you warm the girls up?" What she really meant was, "Can you take the(entire) session?"I gladly agreed and thought it odd they'd bring an American over to coach a sport that the Enlish are most proud they invented.
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
France is Fabulous, but . . .
Don't get me wrong, the more I visit France, the more I love France. I could easily live there . . . especially if I spoke French!
And while there are LOTS of things I love about Francia- my favorites being the incredible pastries and also traffic circles/roundabouts- there is one problem I notices. Insofar as good things, where else is there such a concentration of incredible baking- quiches, tarts, pain au chocolate, even just a "plain 'ole baguette", etc. Boulangeries are about as plentiful in Paris as churches and liquor stores in the hood.
And let's not forget my traffic circles-- they're just fun. If we were not always running just a few minutes behind, I would definitely drive completely around a circle every now and then because it is such a novelty to me. Yes, there are traffic circles here in the UK, but they are not nearly as . . . plentiful as they are in France. Of course, they slow you down a bit, but many times you do not have to actually stop. I can only imagine how much France saves on traffic lights!
There are many other good things about France, but there is also ONE major problem. It is such a problem that I must insert it here right in the middle of the feel-good section.
Everyone knows that there is lots of wine in France, and lots of wine consumed in France. It is not in a US (let's see how much I can drink in one sitting), or a UK (I am obliged to drink as much as I can in one sitting) type way. In France they drink a glass of wine kind of like Mexicans eat jalapenyos-- o.k., so maybe they don't usually have wine with breakfast.
My back-of-the-envelope calculations and Sherlock Holmes-like deductive skillz tell me that our beloved WINE is the root cause of what is perhaps France's greatest shortcoming- lack of sufficiently sized glasses for cocktails. The only one I really care about, thanks to my mom, is Gin & Tonic. None of the three places we stayed had even one glass that didn't amount to a shot glass after throwing in a few ice cubes and a slice of lime. As a matter of fact, at the gite we rented outside of Angers, we had to PURCHASE six glasses for the four of us! And even those were pushing it on size. Of course, there were approximately 20 wine classes and about as many champagne flutes (for a place that can sleep 8 adults), but not one adequately sized cocktail glass. There were coffee cups that would probably have been of proper volume, but I don't think I could drink a G&T from a cup that belongs on a saucer.
And while there are LOTS of things I love about Francia- my favorites being the incredible pastries and also traffic circles/roundabouts- there is one problem I notices. Insofar as good things, where else is there such a concentration of incredible baking- quiches, tarts, pain au chocolate, even just a "plain 'ole baguette", etc. Boulangeries are about as plentiful in Paris as churches and liquor stores in the hood.
And let's not forget my traffic circles-- they're just fun. If we were not always running just a few minutes behind, I would definitely drive completely around a circle every now and then because it is such a novelty to me. Yes, there are traffic circles here in the UK, but they are not nearly as . . . plentiful as they are in France. Of course, they slow you down a bit, but many times you do not have to actually stop. I can only imagine how much France saves on traffic lights!
There are many other good things about France, but there is also ONE major problem. It is such a problem that I must insert it here right in the middle of the feel-good section.
Everyone knows that there is lots of wine in France, and lots of wine consumed in France. It is not in a US (let's see how much I can drink in one sitting), or a UK (I am obliged to drink as much as I can in one sitting) type way. In France they drink a glass of wine kind of like Mexicans eat jalapenyos-- o.k., so maybe they don't usually have wine with breakfast.
My back-of-the-envelope calculations and Sherlock Holmes-like deductive skillz tell me that our beloved WINE is the root cause of what is perhaps France's greatest shortcoming- lack of sufficiently sized glasses for cocktails. The only one I really care about, thanks to my mom, is Gin & Tonic. None of the three places we stayed had even one glass that didn't amount to a shot glass after throwing in a few ice cubes and a slice of lime. As a matter of fact, at the gite we rented outside of Angers, we had to PURCHASE six glasses for the four of us! And even those were pushing it on size. Of course, there were approximately 20 wine classes and about as many champagne flutes (for a place that can sleep 8 adults), but not one adequately sized cocktail glass. There were coffee cups that would probably have been of proper volume, but I don't think I could drink a G&T from a cup that belongs on a saucer.
Monday, 5 May 2008
Loving Day- R.I.P. Mildred
She says it was god's work, but I have a feeling that those who passed the law thought they were doing god's work too, as many of THOSE types did.
Either way, I'll have to see if there are any Loving Day events in the UK-- oh, wait, they don't really seem to need it here.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24468808/
Either way, I'll have to see if there are any Loving Day events in the UK-- oh, wait, they don't really seem to need it here.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24468808/
Thursday, 17 April 2008
The Good 'Ole (not Ole') Immigration Debate- w/ a Twist
I'm not sure how many of you heard about the (black) kid getting gunned down by the (Mexican) pandillero in Central L.A. a month or so ago. The victim was a (american) football star at L.A. High School, and I believe a 17 yr old junior.
People were understandably up in arms due to the shooting, but even moreso because the alleged shooter was reportedly in the country illegally and had VERY recently been released from jail. This comes at a time of some states passing tough (anti) immigration measures, I assume largely out of feelign that the Federal government is not doing enough about it. The LAPD has had a policy, Special Order 40, related to it's authority and intent to question an individual's immigration status. S.O. 40 reads, "officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person."
The story has been reported in the L.A. Times a fair amount, most recently today: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-specialorder17apr17,0,6757309.story. One result of the crime is that the high schooler's parents are trying to get the L.A. City Council to act to alter or rescind S.O. 40. In another recent L.A. Times article, the website let readers post their opinions on the issue. As you can imagine, there were comments all over the spectrum, but if I recall, it was about 75/25 for posts favoring cracking down in illegal immigrants. If I can find a link to the posts, I will past it here.
Anyway, all of those posts made me feel like adding my 2 cents. The prpoblem was that my 2 cents was more like $20 in length, and it wouldn't fit into the alloted space. Thus, I post if here for all of you to read:
It seems to me that many who are posting here against illegal immigration are tending to generalize and target their comments toward hispanics. In the US southern border states, hispanos may comprise a large portion of the immigrants, both legal and illegal. However, that still does not justify sweeping generalizations. Think about how you like (and how accurate are) most of the generalizations about a group to which you belong, be it black, republican, texan, muslim, etc.
I do understand the frustration coupled with illegal immigrants committing crimes, especially violent crimes. However, that frustration should apply equally to anyone who commits a crime.
If we separate violent "illegals" from the non-violent, I have yet to see a post that hits at the crux of the problem, with a few execptions-- ECONOMICS. If you lived in Country X, making $500/year, and you heard that you could make $500/week doing the SAME thing in Country Y, what would you do?? Of course, we would not ALL immigrate, but many of us would jump at the chance to earn multiples of our normal wages for our same hard work. It's like going the the UK and earning the same amount you make in the US for doing the same work-- guess what, these days you would have 2x as many dollars, just like that! What would you do if your salary was suddenly doubled, let alone quintupled or 50X'ed?? Of course it is not so feasible for someone in the US to skip across the border to the UK.
This border osmosis, driven by labor supply-and-demand, exchange rates, and the relative economic health of neighboring countries is not unique to North America. Other countries have similar immigration dynamics/issues-- Chile with Peruanos, and the UK with some former Esatern Block countries. If they were able, most people in the world would choose to make lots more MONEY for doing the same thing-- for the most part, we all want the best for our families and ourselves.
This is not all to say that illegal immigration is o.k., but that if you truly want to solve wat you feel is a problem, you must first look at the root cause. And illegal immigration will not just stop because we crack down on it- it largely boils down to supply and demand- look at how well prohibition went and the current war on (all other) drugs is going. I mean I never hear of anyone using drugs these days. Take it from a former, temporaryily-illegal immigrant-- don't worry, it wasn't in the US!
So, enough venom aimed at illegal (read "hispanic") immigrants already.
I do find it ironic that the article quotes Chief Bratton as saying, "If you are an illegal immigrant out there and basically you are obeying the law and you are not preying on others, you don't have anything to fear from the Los Angeles police in terms of us approaching you solely on the belief you are here illegally." I think the Chief needs to look up the word illegal or we need to relabel the term. :)
People were understandably up in arms due to the shooting, but even moreso because the alleged shooter was reportedly in the country illegally and had VERY recently been released from jail. This comes at a time of some states passing tough (anti) immigration measures, I assume largely out of feelign that the Federal government is not doing enough about it. The LAPD has had a policy, Special Order 40, related to it's authority and intent to question an individual's immigration status. S.O. 40 reads, "officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person."
The story has been reported in the L.A. Times a fair amount, most recently today: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-specialorder17apr17,0,6757309.story. One result of the crime is that the high schooler's parents are trying to get the L.A. City Council to act to alter or rescind S.O. 40. In another recent L.A. Times article, the website let readers post their opinions on the issue. As you can imagine, there were comments all over the spectrum, but if I recall, it was about 75/25 for posts favoring cracking down in illegal immigrants. If I can find a link to the posts, I will past it here.
Anyway, all of those posts made me feel like adding my 2 cents. The prpoblem was that my 2 cents was more like $20 in length, and it wouldn't fit into the alloted space. Thus, I post if here for all of you to read:
It seems to me that many who are posting here against illegal immigration are tending to generalize and target their comments toward hispanics. In the US southern border states, hispanos may comprise a large portion of the immigrants, both legal and illegal. However, that still does not justify sweeping generalizations. Think about how you like (and how accurate are) most of the generalizations about a group to which you belong, be it black, republican, texan, muslim, etc.
I do understand the frustration coupled with illegal immigrants committing crimes, especially violent crimes. However, that frustration should apply equally to anyone who commits a crime.
If we separate violent "illegals" from the non-violent, I have yet to see a post that hits at the crux of the problem, with a few execptions-- ECONOMICS. If you lived in Country X, making $500/year, and you heard that you could make $500/week doing the SAME thing in Country Y, what would you do?? Of course, we would not ALL immigrate, but many of us would jump at the chance to earn multiples of our normal wages for our same hard work. It's like going the the UK and earning the same amount you make in the US for doing the same work-- guess what, these days you would have 2x as many dollars, just like that! What would you do if your salary was suddenly doubled, let alone quintupled or 50X'ed?? Of course it is not so feasible for someone in the US to skip across the border to the UK.
This border osmosis, driven by labor supply-and-demand, exchange rates, and the relative economic health of neighboring countries is not unique to North America. Other countries have similar immigration dynamics/issues-- Chile with Peruanos, and the UK with some former Esatern Block countries. If they were able, most people in the world would choose to make lots more MONEY for doing the same thing-- for the most part, we all want the best for our families and ourselves.
This is not all to say that illegal immigration is o.k., but that if you truly want to solve wat you feel is a problem, you must first look at the root cause. And illegal immigration will not just stop because we crack down on it- it largely boils down to supply and demand- look at how well prohibition went and the current war on (all other) drugs is going. I mean I never hear of anyone using drugs these days. Take it from a former, temporaryily-illegal immigrant-- don't worry, it wasn't in the US!
So, enough venom aimed at illegal (read "hispanic") immigrants already.
I do find it ironic that the article quotes Chief Bratton as saying, "If you are an illegal immigrant out there and basically you are obeying the law and you are not preying on others, you don't have anything to fear from the Los Angeles police in terms of us approaching you solely on the belief you are here illegally." I think the Chief needs to look up the word illegal or we need to relabel the term. :)
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