Disappontment

In general establishments in the USA are pretty good.  Service is done well and products are usually first rate. It is a rare thing to find something bad or even poor.  The above is a place called the Iron Hog.  I've been to it about three times and on each occasion I've been disappointed.  The other day out on a ride, and hearing of "pulled pork sandwiches" the five of us pulled in here - noting the new garish paintwork which we hoped was a good omen.  It was not to be.  As on previous occasions, there was no food on the menu, plus the atmosphere was tarnished by extremely loud music coming from small, tinny speakers.  It also looked as if some contractors had been dumping trash around the place.  Sadly this place is now off limits!

Spring?

Mother Nature works off a different calendar to mankind.  We might have changed our clocks and also noted the arrival of the equinox, but a few days later we had a storm come through.  The wind on the upper elevations was so strong that even the last remaining ski slope closed for the day.  If you live in the mountains you have to be prepared for such things.  Also it's a good excuse to get the fire started up.  The last one of the season?  Mother Nature isn't saying!

Video - Doggy Dinner

This has been around before, but it's still very, very funny.  I'm grateful to my friend Paul in England for sending it to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub1Dc3NHZ3s&feature=youtu.be

Sunday's Column - Yanks

This week we visit Yanks Air Museum.  It's almost next door to the Chino Planes of Fame Museum but this one specialises in more modern aircraft.

One exhibit that always draws me is a German Doodlebug - a VI flying bomb from WWII.  I have been underneath these as they flew over at the tail end of the war and believe me it's not fun.  You can read the entire piece at http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20140426/display-brings-back-memories-of-war

Right Track - Racism

Recently we have had a number of shouts of "racism" again from left wing politicians, who always seem to be ready to unleash them.  The AG, Holder complained that no Attorney General before him had ever been treated the way he was by congress.  Has he forgotten Alberto Gonzales or even Ed Meese?  But then on the other hand, Condalessa Rice the former Secretary of State has had to face criticism from the left for taking a position on a software board.  Perhaps she should call her critics "racists!"  Of course she never would.

Tirade - Comments

I recently posted a forwarded email from a friend purportedly listing some of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.  Basically it was a list of stages that would lead to a totalitarian state, and not one under which I would like to live.  I seems that this list was not correct and only took on the appearance of Alinsky's tactics, which were much broader that that.  Nonetheless whenever I get a little close to the reality of our current President's true colors my comments section fills up with howls from the left, who don't like their hero to be besmirched - even by association with someone with whom he most certainly would agree.  In one case, one commentator alluded to Snopes as refuting the list.  Sadly Snopes is not to be relied upon as a reliable source when it comes to left and right matters.  However I do apologise for the error and hope that the battle will continue.  Do please try and get the spelling right when you make comments though.  It's not good form to let that slide. Come on People!

Music Track - California Dreaming

One of the definitive songs from the "hippy" sixties.  Still a great number http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrekf8Nsxmk

Phone Boxes

Telephone Graveyard

Just along the road from us a neighbor has an old British phone box.  He bought it for some strange reason.  It's odd to think how common they were during my lifetime.  I'm sure today's young people would not even recognise them at all.  They were always painted red, apart from the city of Hull who had their own phone system, and remained independent of the General Post Office.  Hull's were painted green, like the ones in Ireland.  The one near us has large panels of glass rather then the narrow ones shown here in this graveyard.  Thanks to my friend Keith in the Marina for this sorry sight from my youth.

Everest

A tragedy recently occurred on Mount Everest.  An avalanche swept down and killed at least 13 people - mostly Sherpa guides.  As of April 18 others were still unaccounted for.  This place has held a fascination for me for most of my life.  It was considered unclimbable until John Hunt's expedition in 1953.  Then New Zealander Edmund Hilary made it to the top with Sherpa Tensing; just in time for the Queen's Coronation.  We were given an afternoon off school in celebration.  With different circumstances in my life perhaps I would have liked to have tackled this beast, but it has not been in the hand dealt to me.  Great regrets for the victims!

Video - Men's brains versus women's brains

I was sent this by my friend Chana.  I think there's a lot of truth in what he says.  I have to say though that my "nothing box" is not as empty as it once was.  It takes about 15 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XjUFYxSxDk

Sunday's Column - Riverside Met Museum

There have been quite a few changes since I last visited Riverside's Metropolitan Museum.  There is a new curator and no doubt she has been influential in these changes.  It used to be the Post Office in the downtown area and along with the other buildings in the center is a fine example of its type.  You can read the entire column at http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20140419/visiting-the-riverside-metropolitan-museum

Right Track - Obamacare

Recently we have had the spectacle of our President "spiking the ball" in the Rose Garden of the White House.  He was putting on a show at having reached a goal of 7.1 million people signing up for his mandatory health care plan.  Unfortunately with so many changes - over 30 - made since the bill was passed, most people don't understand or believe the statistics.  And let's not forget that this is a country of over 300 million, so 7.1 doesn't seem too impressive.  To help with the confusion, I'm grateful to my friend Dave in the desert for sending me this to help us all understand our drive towards socialized medicine.

In order to insure the uninsured, we first have to un-insure the insured.

Next we require the newly un-insured to be re-insured.

To re-insure the newly un-insured, they are required to pay extra charges to

be re-insured.

The extra charges are required so that the original insured, who became

un-insured, and then became re-insured, can pay enough extra so that the

original un-insured can be insured for free.

Tirade - Marketing

Recently we tried to order a product advertised on TV.  It was not expensive and as usual they would double the offer (just pay separate shipping and handling!)  Well, to begin with the Web site would not let us complete the transaction, so we tried the phone.  Immediately a recorded message told us that we had been "selected' for a free two day cruise that would only cost us a $59 dockside charge.  Unfortunately it was on the other side of the country to the Bahamas.  We tried to exit out of this offer but only succeeded in being put through to more recordings, this time offering us the services of a TV cable company.  Not at any time did we ever hear of the original product in which we were interested.  I did have a little fun with the salesman who wanted me to go on his "free" cruise with suggestions as to how this might include "free" travel to the boat, but other than that it was a frustrating business.  Eventually, I checked the product's reviews on line and I was not surprised to find out that not only was it substandard but the extra shipping and handling amounted to rather a lot.  As one reviewer wrote, it's best to wait until it appears on the "As seen on TV" shelves at K-mart or Walmart.  Come on People!

Music Track - Il Silenzio

I'm very grateful to my friend Paul, currently wading around in Southern England for this one, including the history, which I didn't know.

About six miles from Maastricht, in the Netherlands lie buried 8,301 American soldiers who died in "Operation Market Garden" in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944-5.  Everyone of the men buried in the cemetery, as well as those in the Canadian and British military cemeteries has been adopted by a Dutch family who mind the grave, decorate, and keep alive the memory of the soldier they have adopted. It is even the custom to keep a portrait of "their" American soldier in a place of honor in their home.  Annually on "Liberation Day" Memorial Services are held for "the men who died to liberate Holland." The day concludes with a concert.  The final piece is always  "IL SILENZIO", a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of Holland's liberation. It has been the concluding piece of the memorial concert ever since.

This year the soloist was a 13 year old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and his orchestra (the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands). This beautiful concert piece is based upon the original version of taps and was composed by Italian composer Nino Rossi.

Watch at this site and go full screen. Beautiful & moving.

   http://www.flixxy.com/trumpet-solo-melissa-venema.htm