Meanderings

Stupid Burmese Government

Yesterday the French government sent a naval vessel loaded with 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid items to assist the Burmese people in their recover efforts from the recent typhoon. Unfortunately, the paranoid and self-destructive military junta that currently rules the country demanded that the French ship remain in international waters and bring the aid in by helicopter. Why? Because the French ship is a military vessel and entering Burmese waters would be considered an act of aggression. Aggression? How, by throwing rolls of gauze at them? By pelting them with boxes of baby formula?

If I were the captain of the French ship I would simply turn the boat around and point it toward China. They are a much more useful ally and they are appreciative of the aid that is being given.

Another Goodbye

Reagan, our old furry friend.
Adopted February 1992 - Died February 29, 2008
We will miss you very much.

WFB

February 27, 2008 marks the passing of a man who has inspired me for more than 30 years. Writer, thinker, commentator, William F. Buckley passed away in his home in Stamford, Connecticut. Eloquent remembrances of Mr. Buckley have been written at the National Review website, and I would refer you there to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the impact that Mr. Buckley made upon our country and the world. This will simply be my goodbye to a personal hero.

There are so many things that I admired about Buckley that it is difficult to know where to begin. Of course there is his well known eloquence and flair for the uncommon, yet perfect, word for a particular situation. His dry wit and intellectual barbs were incomparable, as was his ability to eviscerate his opponents in a debate and have them smiling at the end seemingly unaware that he had just served their chitlins up to them on a hand-tooled silver platter.

Fair skies Mr. Buckley, you will be missed.

Random Radio

Congrats to Mike, Tanner, Sam, Chris, and Themio. They have completed the class' first podcast. It can be heard here:

The Spiderwick Chronicles

I took the kids to see The Spiderwick Chronicles this evening and my response is solidly tepid. The animation was very good, the acting was mediocre, and as is the case 9 times out of 10, the book was much better. Unfortunately, as is the case in many book to movie situations, there are too many details that hold the written story together that must be omitted from a 2 hour movie. This causes the plot to either be choppy, hurried, or disorganized. In this case, the plot seemed forced, as if they were running toward the conflict instead of allowing it to unfold naturally. My grades for his film would be a B for animation, a C- for acting, and a C- for adaptation.

Fair warning, the ogre in this movie is not Shrek. He looks like a demon from Dungeons and Dragons and may be too much for younger kids. He scared the crap out of Maria for sure, and maybe Anthony too. When we got home he wanted to make sure that we had a magic circle around our house to protect us from any goblins that might try to attack us for our wizard knowledge. I assured him that we would be fine.

Wait... /Short Fiction

"Wait," whispered the Quiet Voice in Celia’s mind.

"Not now," Celia snipped, the taxi pulling up to the curb.

 

"Please wait," urged the Quiet Voice.

"I've got to hurry, I'm late already," said Celia, zipping through security.

 

"Celia, please wait," insisted the Quiet Voice.

" Look, flight 93 is still boarding, I can make it."

Cheese and Crackers/Short Fiction

After four years, nine months, eight days and eleven hours, Asher was finally being sent home. A deal was struck between Israel and Hamas, and the young pilot was finally being released. Bound and blindfolded in the back of a truck smelling of chicken feces and diesel, Asher began to wonder what he would have for his first meal at home. Falafel with warm pita and grilled eggplant? Something special, that is usually prepared only on holidays? No, he wanted none of that. What he desired most was a delight from his boyhood. Something that would return him to a time of innocence and joy. He wanted, cheese and crackers.

Farmers Market

In the coming months our community will open a Farmers Market one weekend a month. It will be located at a building that used to be a Safeway, but has been in disuse for at least a decade. In anticipation of the opening of the market, the organizers have asked the public to contribute ideas for a slogan for our new Market. Here are some of the slogans that I've come up with. Some are worthy of consideration, others are just tongue-in-cheek fun.

Farm Freshness, with a View!

Veni, Vidi, Vegetables

Great farm taste, no farm smell!

Giga-bites of farm freshness.

Mercer Island Market: No nanny required.

Mercer Island Market: We can spell aubergine

Lean, green, and in-between

Mercer Island Market: We’re Multi-Organic

Our melons are real, are yours?

Farm fresh food, no damaged manicures

Family Recipe/Historical Fiction

No one was allowed in the kitchen when Uncle Gabe seasoned the tri-tip steaks. We all had our ideas about what was in his “top secret recipe” and made games of guessing at our large family barbecues, but he would only smile and say, “Good guess, not quite,” and divert the attention to the fish caught that day by one of the younger cousins, or the array of Filipino dishes brought by the many Aunties in attendance. This game of culinary cat and mouse continued until Uncle Gabe died in 1989. Among the items disbursed to family members was an envelope containing his “top secret recipe”. Today, only my cousin David, Uncle Gabe’s oldest grandson, knows the secret of the tri-tip steak.

I Dreamed

I Dreamed.....

I dreamed of Kiki playing in the driveway.
I dreamed of shooting, squealing tires, and Kiki's lifeless body.
I dreamed of three boys begging me for mercy as I exacted a brother's revenge.
I dreamed of "Ghostman" who was arrested and is sitting on death row.
I dreamed of of an ear-splitting roar.