Today is my last full day in Portland until my return permanently here in mid August. I'll be on airplanes flying back to New Orleans most of Saturday and until about midnight Saturday night. So I am not going to be able to respond to any mail until at least Sunday. Take a vacation. I do hope your husband will feel better. It's sad to see a loved one suffer so much.
One thing I had to do today was to try to find a replacement for a missing knob on an antique cabinet I have. It was damaged a bit in the move from New Orleans, including the loss of a knob from a roll-up drawer.
This is a Victorian piece, so under most circumstances I should be able to find a replacement or a suitable alternative. Well, in New Orleans the odds are greater (I will try there as well if I fail here) since it is an older city and one with copious amounts of antiques. Portland is a "new city" with far fewer older pieces of furniture and fewer antique shops that deal in "spare parts". Anyway, I have the name of a hardware store here that supposedly collects those kinds of parts and sells them.
There is much less interest today in antique or even old furniture. It seems that the Scandinavian/Ikea look, that of veneers and particle boards, is what most people treasure today. We now are a nation of people who prefer the glitzy, synthetic material, throw-away furniture to the handmade, solid wood carved furniture the almost extinct furniture maker used to churn out everywhere.
But this makes sense in that the U.S. and much of the rest of the world disposes of things rather than seeking higher quality that lasts indefinitely. We are a throw-away generation. Our TV's, microwave ovens, phones, even cars have become items we dispose of quickly in search of "newer" and more "stylistic" replacements. It's hard to think of things we buy to keep permanently. Change, change, change is the mantra because modern technology throws change at us so much.
I place no value assignment as to what is better, a foot in the past or both feet in the future. Hmmmm Where are your feet placed in all this nonsense about throw-away generations? Do yo have many throw away items and do you prefer those to the old stolid things that we used to keep almost forever?
Monday, June 28, 2010
What's In A Name
There is a city near Portland, very close in fact that is completely Boring. That's because the name of the city is Boring, Oregon. No kidding. It actually has nothing to do with how exciting the city is. Boring was named after a man with that last name.Boring was just named number one one of those magazine lists of the top 25 funniest US. town names. In fact, Boring is a beautiful city about 40 minutes from Portland and.... NO, I shouldn't go there because I fit in well with the town's name.
Today you get an expository tour some of those 25 towns and cities with crazy names. Pardon my puns and attempts to be clever along the way. If you get bored, blame it on the influence of Boring, Oregon. Since I will have to drive my automobile more than 2600 kilometers from New Orleans to my new home here in Happy Valley, Oregon (yes, that is the real name of the city suburb of Portland where I have my home) I might run into a few of the odd name places along the way. Surely, I will stop and stare if I do.
Given I am a foodie fan, I think that I should stop in a few of the food friendly named cities and towns along the way to Portland. Sandwich, Massachusetts is too far from my route, and a sandwich is a a pretty ordinary thing to be found everywhere. I can skip the sandwich and have soup instead.
What better place to start than The Bottle, Alabama? I wonder what is in the bottle...no alcohol for me when driving across country. Condemned Bar, California would be a safer stop for liquid refreshments. I can't get a DUI after being in Condemned Bar.
Lick Skillet, Tennessee might be worth a stop. Any place whose residents lick skillets has to have tasty food. For breakfast I should stop in Oatmeal, Texas. Pie Town, New Mexico is a can't miss for dessert. But I will avoid Greasy Spoon, Oklahoma at all cost.Why not have a look at Whynot, Mississippi and Why, Arizona? They probably have great philosophers in those towns since they have questioning names. Or I could see who is in Brilliant, Michigan. Sigh..My IQ is probably too low for me to be allowed in Brilliant.
I wonder who Handsome Eddy is. There is a Handsome Eddy, New York. That's too far off the route to investigate, as is Loveladies, New Jersey. Hmmmm I should fly to Loveladies one day. It's a town every man would enjoy. But Husband, Pennsylvania sounds like a town where the women beat their mates and lock them in the house.There is a town called Sweet Lips, Tennessee along the drive. I guess the founder was a kissing champ and never had a need to visit Lonelyville New York or Loafers Glory, North Carolina. He is too busy kissing the ladies for that.
I am not a self absorbed or ambitious man but How could I not take a peek at the towns of Wealthy, Texas and Fame West Virginia? And no one can pass straight through Do Stop, Kentucky You probably think I should not only stop, but stay permanently in Cranky Corner, Louisiana. Well, it's better than Hell, Michigan. No, instead, I will drive through Happyland, Oklahoma and stop at my final destination here in Happy Valley, Oregon.
Today you get an expository tour some of those 25 towns and cities with crazy names. Pardon my puns and attempts to be clever along the way. If you get bored, blame it on the influence of Boring, Oregon. Since I will have to drive my automobile more than 2600 kilometers from New Orleans to my new home here in Happy Valley, Oregon (yes, that is the real name of the city suburb of Portland where I have my home) I might run into a few of the odd name places along the way. Surely, I will stop and stare if I do.
Given I am a foodie fan, I think that I should stop in a few of the food friendly named cities and towns along the way to Portland. Sandwich, Massachusetts is too far from my route, and a sandwich is a a pretty ordinary thing to be found everywhere. I can skip the sandwich and have soup instead.
What better place to start than The Bottle, Alabama? I wonder what is in the bottle...no alcohol for me when driving across country. Condemned Bar, California would be a safer stop for liquid refreshments. I can't get a DUI after being in Condemned Bar.
Lick Skillet, Tennessee might be worth a stop. Any place whose residents lick skillets has to have tasty food. For breakfast I should stop in Oatmeal, Texas. Pie Town, New Mexico is a can't miss for dessert. But I will avoid Greasy Spoon, Oklahoma at all cost.Why not have a look at Whynot, Mississippi and Why, Arizona? They probably have great philosophers in those towns since they have questioning names. Or I could see who is in Brilliant, Michigan. Sigh..My IQ is probably too low for me to be allowed in Brilliant.
I wonder who Handsome Eddy is. There is a Handsome Eddy, New York. That's too far off the route to investigate, as is Loveladies, New Jersey. Hmmmm I should fly to Loveladies one day. It's a town every man would enjoy. But Husband, Pennsylvania sounds like a town where the women beat their mates and lock them in the house.There is a town called Sweet Lips, Tennessee along the drive. I guess the founder was a kissing champ and never had a need to visit Lonelyville New York or Loafers Glory, North Carolina. He is too busy kissing the ladies for that.
I am not a self absorbed or ambitious man but How could I not take a peek at the towns of Wealthy, Texas and Fame West Virginia? And no one can pass straight through Do Stop, Kentucky You probably think I should not only stop, but stay permanently in Cranky Corner, Louisiana. Well, it's better than Hell, Michigan. No, instead, I will drive through Happyland, Oklahoma and stop at my final destination here in Happy Valley, Oregon.
Vitenamese Grocery
I went to a big Asian market today, actually it is a Vietnamese market about 15 minutes from my house here in Portland. There is a large enough Vietnamese population in Portland that it is one of the bigger minority segments of the population. The same situation exists in New Orleans which has Vietnamese markets I have shopped as well.
But this one is very good, offering a wide variety of Asian (mostly Vietnamese) and non asian foods. I even found Cafe Du Monde coffee and chicory from New Orleans and an imitation that says it was packaged in Vietnam with an almost identical Cafe Du Monde container (even the same color) called 'Cafe Du Mont'. Odd, because the New Orleans Cafe Du Monde coffee company has been in business for over 150 years, long before the french enetered Vietnam and introduced chicory coffee to Vietnam.
Anyway, I sometimes buy imported Vietnamese coffee at Asian stores in New Orleans because it is of high quality and I like it very much. I bought the Cafe Du Mont Vietnamese copy (which was about 20% cheaper than the New Orleans brand) and am looking forward to trying it. If I like it I won't have to bring in New Orleans coffee and chicory or pay the high prices for the two brands I have found in Portland.
I also bought Hoi Ga (Hehe and you thought I couldn't speak Vietnamese!) for lunch from the small hot food vend section of the grocery. Since I am unfamiliar with so much Asian and Vietnamese food I only bought a few items I know how to cook or know. I need an Asian food guide or a hot Vietnamese wife to teach me more about those things.
This stores has great prices and good quality produce and meats, plus a big selection of items. Any store that sells duck with the feet still on is a good one. too, I like Vietnamese food best of all Asian foods. The sweetness in so much of it is right for me. I surely will patronize that whole market (it has restaurants and speciality stores in it besides the big grocery) while I am in Portland.
Mai mốt gặp lại!
But this one is very good, offering a wide variety of Asian (mostly Vietnamese) and non asian foods. I even found Cafe Du Monde coffee and chicory from New Orleans and an imitation that says it was packaged in Vietnam with an almost identical Cafe Du Monde container (even the same color) called 'Cafe Du Mont'. Odd, because the New Orleans Cafe Du Monde coffee company has been in business for over 150 years, long before the french enetered Vietnam and introduced chicory coffee to Vietnam.
Anyway, I sometimes buy imported Vietnamese coffee at Asian stores in New Orleans because it is of high quality and I like it very much. I bought the Cafe Du Mont Vietnamese copy (which was about 20% cheaper than the New Orleans brand) and am looking forward to trying it. If I like it I won't have to bring in New Orleans coffee and chicory or pay the high prices for the two brands I have found in Portland.
I also bought Hoi Ga (Hehe and you thought I couldn't speak Vietnamese!) for lunch from the small hot food vend section of the grocery. Since I am unfamiliar with so much Asian and Vietnamese food I only bought a few items I know how to cook or know. I need an Asian food guide or a hot Vietnamese wife to teach me more about those things.
This stores has great prices and good quality produce and meats, plus a big selection of items. Any store that sells duck with the feet still on is a good one. too, I like Vietnamese food best of all Asian foods. The sweetness in so much of it is right for me. I surely will patronize that whole market (it has restaurants and speciality stores in it besides the big grocery) while I am in Portland.
Mai mốt gặp lại!
Portland Gay Pride Parade
Sunday I went into the city of Portland, about 15 minutes from my home here in the suburbs to pick up something at SAKS that Jane wanted and we bought for her room last week when she was here. Luckily for me Sunday was also Gay Pride Day in Portland, with a big parade in the center of the city.
No, I am not gay. But being from New Orleans am well acquainted with all things gay. I decided to go to the parade and then pick up the SAKS purchase. So today you get a brief observation on gay parades here and in New Orleans.
I found the Portland parade very tame, nice to see, and quite positive in perspective and atmosphere. There were fewer drag queens, and they were dressed far less convincingly than in New Orleans. In New Orleans some men in drag can almost compete with Thai lady boys for loveliness. The Queens I saw in Portland were dressed more for parody than for beauty.This parade was also very commercial. Politicians were "sponsoring" marching units or floats and riding in it themselves.
That's quite a change from 25 years ago when a politician would lose rather than gain votes by appearing to condone a gay lifestyle. There was also a huge number of church sponsored units,even the Catholic Church (which is trying to go "undercover", hiding from the gay priest scandals so much in the news today).
To the contrast, New Orleans parades are wholly privately organized, bankrolled and performed. There is no commercialism allowed in them. And politicians rarely appear in New Orleans parades. Church participation is never seen in New orleans parades.Also, the Portland parade was a light PG performance, no nudity and few sexually provocative costumes. In New Orleans the gay parades border on being either distasteful or obscene and are always at least X rated. But the Portland/New Orleans difference in this reflects the character of both cites. New Orleans is more of an "adult" city and Portland a "family" city.
The Portland parade had few floats and but were not professional ones. It was more of a fun, neighborhood production. In New Orleans, the floats and costumes are quite elaborate, again being a part of the city's tradition. In both cities, tolerance for the gay lifestyle seems to be very high.I had a nice time at the parade, particularly chatting with some people from Sydney, Australia, Salt lake City, Utah, and a mom and daughter who once lived in Portland but now live in Bangkok, Thailand where the husband/father is a U.S. diplomat.
I have noticed it is difficult to start a casual conversation with strangers here in Portland. In New Orleans it is expected. But the parade had Portlanders and visitors in a good mood. That was nice....but I don't think it's enough to make me become gay....yet...haha
No, I am not gay. But being from New Orleans am well acquainted with all things gay. I decided to go to the parade and then pick up the SAKS purchase. So today you get a brief observation on gay parades here and in New Orleans.
I found the Portland parade very tame, nice to see, and quite positive in perspective and atmosphere. There were fewer drag queens, and they were dressed far less convincingly than in New Orleans. In New Orleans some men in drag can almost compete with Thai lady boys for loveliness. The Queens I saw in Portland were dressed more for parody than for beauty.This parade was also very commercial. Politicians were "sponsoring" marching units or floats and riding in it themselves.
That's quite a change from 25 years ago when a politician would lose rather than gain votes by appearing to condone a gay lifestyle. There was also a huge number of church sponsored units,even the Catholic Church (which is trying to go "undercover", hiding from the gay priest scandals so much in the news today).
To the contrast, New Orleans parades are wholly privately organized, bankrolled and performed. There is no commercialism allowed in them. And politicians rarely appear in New Orleans parades. Church participation is never seen in New orleans parades.Also, the Portland parade was a light PG performance, no nudity and few sexually provocative costumes. In New Orleans the gay parades border on being either distasteful or obscene and are always at least X rated. But the Portland/New Orleans difference in this reflects the character of both cites. New Orleans is more of an "adult" city and Portland a "family" city.
The Portland parade had few floats and but were not professional ones. It was more of a fun, neighborhood production. In New Orleans, the floats and costumes are quite elaborate, again being a part of the city's tradition. In both cities, tolerance for the gay lifestyle seems to be very high.I had a nice time at the parade, particularly chatting with some people from Sydney, Australia, Salt lake City, Utah, and a mom and daughter who once lived in Portland but now live in Bangkok, Thailand where the husband/father is a U.S. diplomat.
I have noticed it is difficult to start a casual conversation with strangers here in Portland. In New Orleans it is expected. But the parade had Portlanders and visitors in a good mood. That was nice....but I don't think it's enough to make me become gay....yet...haha
Farmer's Market
Another Father's Day quietly sneaks by....kind of sad how dad is relegated to the back room and Mother's day is the featured attraction. The idea of Father's Day was conceived slightly more than a century ago by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.
Haha It figures, mom is always thought of first, even when inventing the concept of a day for dad. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. I wonder what Sonora would think if she could compare the attention dad's get on their day to mom on Mother's day.
I visited the weekend Farmer's Market in Beaverton (a city adjacent to Portland) yesterday. It's been cooler than normal in Portland this spring/summer, so the usual variety of local fruit was sparse in comparison to what it would normally be. But there were excellent raspberries and strawberries, including the Mt. Hood sweet variety I bought. Too, there were plenty of veggies, baked goods, organic items, plants, food for sale at by a number of vendors, artisan bakery stalls, organic meat vendors, wines for sale (the area has many white wine vineyards) live music performance etc.
Even though Beaverton is on the opposite side of Portland for my home I think in summer when the offers of local fruit grow larger I will again make the pilgrimage to the Beaverton Farmer's market. Also, the local U Pick farms will have an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies to try my hand at picking. I will use the very sweet strawberries I got to make a strawberry cobbler. It's nice to have access to so much high quality farm produce, especially since I have no intention of planting a garden here.
Haha It figures, mom is always thought of first, even when inventing the concept of a day for dad. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. I wonder what Sonora would think if she could compare the attention dad's get on their day to mom on Mother's day.
I visited the weekend Farmer's Market in Beaverton (a city adjacent to Portland) yesterday. It's been cooler than normal in Portland this spring/summer, so the usual variety of local fruit was sparse in comparison to what it would normally be. But there were excellent raspberries and strawberries, including the Mt. Hood sweet variety I bought. Too, there were plenty of veggies, baked goods, organic items, plants, food for sale at by a number of vendors, artisan bakery stalls, organic meat vendors, wines for sale (the area has many white wine vineyards) live music performance etc.
Even though Beaverton is on the opposite side of Portland for my home I think in summer when the offers of local fruit grow larger I will again make the pilgrimage to the Beaverton Farmer's market. Also, the local U Pick farms will have an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies to try my hand at picking. I will use the very sweet strawberries I got to make a strawberry cobbler. It's nice to have access to so much high quality farm produce, especially since I have no intention of planting a garden here.
Carl's Jr
I little silliness today for you about the awful fast food we Americans eat too much. Here in Portland, I have discovered that the great desire in food is volume rather than taste. Full service restaurants serve mediocre food but the number and variety of fast food places here is enormous.
When you feed them allot of food in Oregon they are both fat and happy, something I have observed to be both cases since coming here. There are many super heavyweights here, perhaps even more of them than in New Orleans, and New Orleans has much better tasting food than what one can consume in Portland.
The favorite sign here seems to be that of fast food eateries or the omnipresent buffet restaurant that carries on the tradition everywhere of serving copious amounts of bland food at inexpensive prices. Turning one's head to glance at any of the many buffet places in Portland will surely enable you to spy a 150 plus kilo human waddling in or out of it.I did try one of the better reviewed buffets here and can only say that it was so non memorable that I do not ever plan to return. But I also have eaten at a few fast food restaurants near my home in Portland.
One of them is called 'Carls Jrs', a west coast hamburger based fast food franchise. It is an eye opener.
When I entered Carl's that day I perused the menu on the wall behind the order counter to find something simple and light. Since it features hamburgers I spotted a listing of what is the cheapest "value meal", the "Big Car combo. "Two charbroiled beef patties, our classic sauce, two slices of American cheese, and lettuce all on a toasted sesame seed bun", says the advertisement for it. Hmmmmmmm I was in a curious and playful mood.Here was my dialogue with the waitress who placed my order.
Jim "What is in the "special sauce"
Waitress 1- "I don't know" (Looking to her right at an associate at another register she asked him) "Do you know what the special sauce is"?
Waiter 2- "I don't know".
Of course this was an opportunity for mischief and I took it.
Jim- (with a feigned look of exasperation and slight crazed stare I loudly bellowed) "How can your sauce be special if you don't even know what is in it?"
At that point a much older and more knowledgeable supervisor came to the order site to calm the crazy (me).
Supervisor- "They are new here. They don't know. The special sauce is Thousand Island Dressing", she blurted to me.
Jim- "That's it! Plain Thousand Island"
Supervisor- "Yes"
Jim - "How can that be special? Why not call it what it is..Thousand Island Dressing?"
Supervisor- (turning and going back to her duties)-
"I never asked and don't know"
Jim- (speaking now again to the cute and now amused little girl taking my order) "You need to study your menu ingredient sheets. Until you do, I am not about to ask you what's in the hamburger. I'm afraid you might know.
"Waitress 1- "You want the special sauce"?
Jim- "No thanks. I'll wait before ordering that for it to earn it's reputation as special. But I have another question for you.
"Waitress 1- (eyes rolling in her head) "Sure"
Jim- "I might like the special sauces at Carl Sr's better if I could see Carl Sr. Where is Carl Sr."? (There is in fact, and I knew, no such thing as a 'Carl Sr's')
Waitress 1- (looking like a deer in headlights) "I never thought of that!"
Jim- "Thank God your healthy minded enough not to have...."
Supervisor- (Seeing her young employee in distress) "What is it now, Sir"
Jim- "Sad to say, more questions...I just want to know here I can find Carl Sr"?
Supervisor- "You'll have to ask corporate offices."
Jim- "No, they probably kidnapped him and are holding him ransom until they really find out what is really in the special sauce."
At that point another customer was in line so I stopped torturing the waitress and waited at my table for my Big Carl. It came and it was huge! The Carl Jr nutritional information said it is 935 calories. With the large number of french fries (the best tasting item of what I ordered) and drink provided that meal was enough to satisfy the entire day's calorie ratio.As to the taste of it, it was greasy and unsettling after eating half of it. More of the volume beats taste mentality found here.
I couldn't finish the entire burger because the grease content put a stop to it. Looking around the restaurant I saw people eating much bigger orders, smiling and waddling away in a fast food feeding frenzy( Hey! That's nice alliteration).
Oh, if you ever see Carl Sr., tell him I want to know what's in his special sauce. Haha
When you feed them allot of food in Oregon they are both fat and happy, something I have observed to be both cases since coming here. There are many super heavyweights here, perhaps even more of them than in New Orleans, and New Orleans has much better tasting food than what one can consume in Portland.
The favorite sign here seems to be that of fast food eateries or the omnipresent buffet restaurant that carries on the tradition everywhere of serving copious amounts of bland food at inexpensive prices. Turning one's head to glance at any of the many buffet places in Portland will surely enable you to spy a 150 plus kilo human waddling in or out of it.I did try one of the better reviewed buffets here and can only say that it was so non memorable that I do not ever plan to return. But I also have eaten at a few fast food restaurants near my home in Portland.
One of them is called 'Carls Jrs', a west coast hamburger based fast food franchise. It is an eye opener.
When I entered Carl's that day I perused the menu on the wall behind the order counter to find something simple and light. Since it features hamburgers I spotted a listing of what is the cheapest "value meal", the "Big Car combo. "Two charbroiled beef patties, our classic sauce, two slices of American cheese, and lettuce all on a toasted sesame seed bun", says the advertisement for it. Hmmmmmmm I was in a curious and playful mood.Here was my dialogue with the waitress who placed my order.
Jim "What is in the "special sauce"
Waitress 1- "I don't know" (Looking to her right at an associate at another register she asked him) "Do you know what the special sauce is"?
Waiter 2- "I don't know".
Of course this was an opportunity for mischief and I took it.
Jim- (with a feigned look of exasperation and slight crazed stare I loudly bellowed) "How can your sauce be special if you don't even know what is in it?"
At that point a much older and more knowledgeable supervisor came to the order site to calm the crazy (me).
Supervisor- "They are new here. They don't know. The special sauce is Thousand Island Dressing", she blurted to me.
Jim- "That's it! Plain Thousand Island"
Supervisor- "Yes"
Jim - "How can that be special? Why not call it what it is..Thousand Island Dressing?"
Supervisor- (turning and going back to her duties)-
"I never asked and don't know"
Jim- (speaking now again to the cute and now amused little girl taking my order) "You need to study your menu ingredient sheets. Until you do, I am not about to ask you what's in the hamburger. I'm afraid you might know.
"Waitress 1- "You want the special sauce"?
Jim- "No thanks. I'll wait before ordering that for it to earn it's reputation as special. But I have another question for you.
"Waitress 1- (eyes rolling in her head) "Sure"
Jim- "I might like the special sauces at Carl Sr's better if I could see Carl Sr. Where is Carl Sr."? (There is in fact, and I knew, no such thing as a 'Carl Sr's')
Waitress 1- (looking like a deer in headlights) "I never thought of that!"
Jim- "Thank God your healthy minded enough not to have...."
Supervisor- (Seeing her young employee in distress) "What is it now, Sir"
Jim- "Sad to say, more questions...I just want to know here I can find Carl Sr"?
Supervisor- "You'll have to ask corporate offices."
Jim- "No, they probably kidnapped him and are holding him ransom until they really find out what is really in the special sauce."
At that point another customer was in line so I stopped torturing the waitress and waited at my table for my Big Carl. It came and it was huge! The Carl Jr nutritional information said it is 935 calories. With the large number of french fries (the best tasting item of what I ordered) and drink provided that meal was enough to satisfy the entire day's calorie ratio.As to the taste of it, it was greasy and unsettling after eating half of it. More of the volume beats taste mentality found here.
I couldn't finish the entire burger because the grease content put a stop to it. Looking around the restaurant I saw people eating much bigger orders, smiling and waddling away in a fast food feeding frenzy( Hey! That's nice alliteration).
Oh, if you ever see Carl Sr., tell him I want to know what's in his special sauce. Haha
Grandma's 90th
We had an unexpected hail storm today. It only lasted a few minutes but the deck outside my kitchen was filed with pea sized hail stones. I love the power of nature. Do you too? Nature when angry or showing off reminds us that we humans are insignificant to the larger world. Perhaps the natural order would be more pure for the rest of life if humans were not here. We are not "needed" for the earth to live and breath. Too, nature is non discriminatory to all its creatures and it inspires our imagination.
The poet Emily Dickenson is a favorite of mine. When I see nature "act up" I am reminded of one poem of hers I like entitled 'I Never Saw A Moor'
'I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be'
For some reason (It might be because they mistakenly think that I am a relative of theirs named "Maria Herran".... and herran is part of my E mail address), some years ago here at this hotmail address I got on someone's family mailing list. It starts with a man named Pete Shobe. I tried to tell him to stop and that they were mistaken about my identity, but every one in awhile I still get the personal messages from Pete and the other family members.
Today it was about Grandma Shobe's 90th birthday bash. Haha They surely wouldn't let me near her to corrupt grandma if they knew who I was. I only read one of the 20 or so mails about that birthday party because it feels as if I am a voyeur if I read other's mails.This goes to show why E mail can be the best and worst of communication. This kind of mix-up is minor, but what if someone mistakenly sends personal information to a person that can be stolen by the recipient and used for harm. I supposed that happens from time to time.
Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA SHOBE..whomever you are. Should I send her a cake with a stripper in it?
The poet Emily Dickenson is a favorite of mine. When I see nature "act up" I am reminded of one poem of hers I like entitled 'I Never Saw A Moor'
'I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be'
For some reason (It might be because they mistakenly think that I am a relative of theirs named "Maria Herran".... and herran is part of my E mail address), some years ago here at this hotmail address I got on someone's family mailing list. It starts with a man named Pete Shobe. I tried to tell him to stop and that they were mistaken about my identity, but every one in awhile I still get the personal messages from Pete and the other family members.
Today it was about Grandma Shobe's 90th birthday bash. Haha They surely wouldn't let me near her to corrupt grandma if they knew who I was. I only read one of the 20 or so mails about that birthday party because it feels as if I am a voyeur if I read other's mails.This goes to show why E mail can be the best and worst of communication. This kind of mix-up is minor, but what if someone mistakenly sends personal information to a person that can be stolen by the recipient and used for harm. I supposed that happens from time to time.
Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA SHOBE..whomever you are. Should I send her a cake with a stripper in it?
Redlands Or Rednecks
I have a grandfather clock that was set up the other day by a clock repair and assembly company here in Portland. But the key to the clock case, like so much else in my move from New Orleans, is missing. The clock "guy" who checked the clock and set it up again mentioned that if took the clock mechanism with me and drove to his business about 30 minutes from here, he would fit the lock and give me a key for about $8. That's far better than another expensive house call to have another clock case key.
Today I took the drive and will relate an observation about Redlands (which is a distant suburb of Portland, yet a rural unincorporated area of farming and lumbering). I was struck by the redneck nature of Redlands. This verifies what I have observed during my trips to Portland. The area has an element that very much resembles rural Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or any other deep south state. This surprises me very much, though I find it charming and genuine (maybe I am a redneck too?).
Redlands is quite bucolic, with 'U pick' fruit and veggie farms, cattle, lamb and other livestock grazing on farms and next to residences. It shows both run down and luxurious homes among the rolling, timbered enclave of Redlands, and also has a few "country" style businesses so reminiscent of rural Louisiana. I just had to stop for lunch at the 'Redlands Cafe' since it had a sign screaming "Barbeque Thursday nights". In the south, any place serving barbeque is guaranteed to be quaint, welcoming and eccentric.When I entered I saw all the southern traits that I know and am amused by. There were tattoos, pot bellied men dressed in overall jeans, convivial conversation among the patrons (this is not evident in many places in Oregon, where the residents do not like or engage in small talk), rather "relaxed " service from waitresses....everything except the quality of food was to my taste.
I ordered a simple hamburger and french fries because simplicity is best when eating in Oregon, a land where proper cooking is rare. The burger was overcooked and without much taste, the fried the standard frozen variety served at fast food places. Oh, and the serving portion was the usual Oregon BIG. They do like large quantity when eating meals.Still, I found the people, places and look of Redlands to be curious and charming.
Too, I'll have to go back. The clock man and his one man shop was closed. I remain both clue less (personally) and key less (my grandfather clock case).. so will try to return before I leave Portland at the end of next week.
Today I took the drive and will relate an observation about Redlands (which is a distant suburb of Portland, yet a rural unincorporated area of farming and lumbering). I was struck by the redneck nature of Redlands. This verifies what I have observed during my trips to Portland. The area has an element that very much resembles rural Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or any other deep south state. This surprises me very much, though I find it charming and genuine (maybe I am a redneck too?).
Redlands is quite bucolic, with 'U pick' fruit and veggie farms, cattle, lamb and other livestock grazing on farms and next to residences. It shows both run down and luxurious homes among the rolling, timbered enclave of Redlands, and also has a few "country" style businesses so reminiscent of rural Louisiana. I just had to stop for lunch at the 'Redlands Cafe' since it had a sign screaming "Barbeque Thursday nights". In the south, any place serving barbeque is guaranteed to be quaint, welcoming and eccentric.When I entered I saw all the southern traits that I know and am amused by. There were tattoos, pot bellied men dressed in overall jeans, convivial conversation among the patrons (this is not evident in many places in Oregon, where the residents do not like or engage in small talk), rather "relaxed " service from waitresses....everything except the quality of food was to my taste.
I ordered a simple hamburger and french fries because simplicity is best when eating in Oregon, a land where proper cooking is rare. The burger was overcooked and without much taste, the fried the standard frozen variety served at fast food places. Oh, and the serving portion was the usual Oregon BIG. They do like large quantity when eating meals.Still, I found the people, places and look of Redlands to be curious and charming.
Too, I'll have to go back. The clock man and his one man shop was closed. I remain both clue less (personally) and key less (my grandfather clock case).. so will try to return before I leave Portland at the end of next week.
Too Big For An Airline Seat
My most recent airline flight was uneventful except that I noticed a growing problem on planes, people who are too fat to sit in their seat without encroaching on nearby passengers.
In an aisle seat, two rows to the left of me was a man who occupied the aisle seat of the two seat row, the seat adjacent to him not yet filled as we passengers boarded the plane. After the boarding had been almost complete, and the extra seat remained unfilled until a young woman approached and stopped, relating to the 170 plus kilo passenger (who spilled into the unoccupied seat due to his beefy physique) that the empty seat was hers. He quickly pointed to an unoccupied seat in the next row and asked her if she wanted that. She did. Problem averted.
But what happens when there is not alternative and the passenger who purchases a ticket must ride with a heavy passenger slobbering into his or zone? Should the airlines make a too big passenger buy the adjacent seat? And if so, what standard determines who is too fat to fit in one seat?
We all are seemingly getting fatter these days as the airlines makes seats smaller to make more money, and the growing number of people who are too fat to fit into tiny airplane seats cause discomfort to their seat mates. If a passenger pays for a full seat but has a seat mate spilling into a third of it, is that fair? Among American airlines only Southwest Airlines currently has a rule about too fat riders having to buy the adjacent seat (and few grossly obese fly that airline as a result), and there is no FAA regulation about the problem. Too, the more I fly the more I see this problem occurring.
Conversely, is being too fat a handicap that should be treated as a legal disability? If so, this would make mandates for airlines to set aside a section of extra wide seats to accommodate the extra large passengers (who are, ironically, probably far more uncomfortable than the passengers they spill on top of). Maybe the jumbo passengers who fill the bigger seats could pay a little extra for the bigger seats so slimmer passengers would not feel slighted.
At the very least, the FAA should require all airlines to publish clear policies stating how they will protect squished and uncomfortable passengers who find themselves getting less than what they paid for. What do you think?
In an aisle seat, two rows to the left of me was a man who occupied the aisle seat of the two seat row, the seat adjacent to him not yet filled as we passengers boarded the plane. After the boarding had been almost complete, and the extra seat remained unfilled until a young woman approached and stopped, relating to the 170 plus kilo passenger (who spilled into the unoccupied seat due to his beefy physique) that the empty seat was hers. He quickly pointed to an unoccupied seat in the next row and asked her if she wanted that. She did. Problem averted.
But what happens when there is not alternative and the passenger who purchases a ticket must ride with a heavy passenger slobbering into his or zone? Should the airlines make a too big passenger buy the adjacent seat? And if so, what standard determines who is too fat to fit in one seat?
We all are seemingly getting fatter these days as the airlines makes seats smaller to make more money, and the growing number of people who are too fat to fit into tiny airplane seats cause discomfort to their seat mates. If a passenger pays for a full seat but has a seat mate spilling into a third of it, is that fair? Among American airlines only Southwest Airlines currently has a rule about too fat riders having to buy the adjacent seat (and few grossly obese fly that airline as a result), and there is no FAA regulation about the problem. Too, the more I fly the more I see this problem occurring.
Conversely, is being too fat a handicap that should be treated as a legal disability? If so, this would make mandates for airlines to set aside a section of extra wide seats to accommodate the extra large passengers (who are, ironically, probably far more uncomfortable than the passengers they spill on top of). Maybe the jumbo passengers who fill the bigger seats could pay a little extra for the bigger seats so slimmer passengers would not feel slighted.
At the very least, the FAA should require all airlines to publish clear policies stating how they will protect squished and uncomfortable passengers who find themselves getting less than what they paid for. What do you think?
Obama Follows
President Obama made his 4th trip to the Louisiana coast Monday. The popularity polls that motivate Obama and most other politicians are finally forcing him to at least pretend to attack the spill crisis.Every poll conducted no shows the American voters think Obama has fiddled while Rome burned. In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, taken Friday through Sunday, 71% of those surveyed say that Obama hasn't been tough enough in dealing with BP on the oil spill. Just one in five say his actions have been "about right," and a negligible 3% say he's been too tough.
I listened to a New Orleans radio talk show via the net to get the pulse of what New Orleans think about Obama's performance. 53% of those gave him an F and another 26% a D. Odd because he keeps pretending he is proactive. Bush II/Bush Light (Obama) is sinking in the oil crisis nationally as well.
The majority of Americans say the oil spill is an environmental and economic catastrophe, that some beaches will never recover from it, and that some species of wildlife, including fish and birds, will never return to normal levels even after the clean-up is completed.
The Obama administration has been sitting on its hands for 4 weeks while pointing at and blaming BP rather than mobilizing personnel, equipment and money that Louisiana and other Gulf States asked for is backfiring.
Ha! Louisiana may be small and insignificant to most, but it is the venue that destroyed Bush's credibility forever (his response to hurricane Katrina) and the one that is bringing Obama done now with this effete reaction to the Oil leak. In the lead or follow equation, Obama is following...following into a political disaster as messy as the oil spill he has pretended to care about.
I listened to a New Orleans radio talk show via the net to get the pulse of what New Orleans think about Obama's performance. 53% of those gave him an F and another 26% a D. Odd because he keeps pretending he is proactive. Bush II/Bush Light (Obama) is sinking in the oil crisis nationally as well.
The majority of Americans say the oil spill is an environmental and economic catastrophe, that some beaches will never recover from it, and that some species of wildlife, including fish and birds, will never return to normal levels even after the clean-up is completed.
The Obama administration has been sitting on its hands for 4 weeks while pointing at and blaming BP rather than mobilizing personnel, equipment and money that Louisiana and other Gulf States asked for is backfiring.
Ha! Louisiana may be small and insignificant to most, but it is the venue that destroyed Bush's credibility forever (his response to hurricane Katrina) and the one that is bringing Obama done now with this effete reaction to the Oil leak. In the lead or follow equation, Obama is following...following into a political disaster as messy as the oil spill he has pretended to care about.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Packaging And Warnings
Packaging for consumer products that are sold today at grocery stores are getting me worked up today because I had a confrontation with one of those things this morning. Maybe the worst kind of modern food packaging, the one that frustrated me today, is the container with a clear plastic snap on lid and a styrofoam base. They put many bakery items in that thing, and it's enough to make me want to go on a sugar free diet, because I get frustrated both trying to open them (they break as often as they open when I try to do it) or when I close it (The lid never seems to close on both ends). If you don't know what kind of packaging I am writing about I am not explaining it well enough because it is everywhere in the world. We should find the inventor of that and have he or she placed under house arrest to prevent any more of his ideas from coming to market.
Another plastic container I hate is the kind that is thicker and houses electronic and other more expensive and delicate devices, like a hard drive for instance. How does one open those? I always wind up getting so frustrated trying to pry it open that I just get scissors and cut it open. They use this type to keep customers from getting inside to tamper or steal the product. And like the other plastic container I mentioned above, it provides protection for the product inside in case it is smashed or dropped.That leads me to one of my points today, that containers are made for the benefit of the maker, not the consumer. In fact, most things about the products we buy are customized for the manufacturer's welfare- to ship more easily, to protect against liability, to make the product look larger or better, to make it seem to weigh more and on and on. First the maker satisfies self, and then thinks about the buyer.
And what about the words on the product labeling? Some times I am mystified at them. Yesterday I saw a small container of "banana pudding ice cream" in a local grocery store. I rarely buy ice cream in groceries but the sound of that flavor was too interesting to resist (I bought it and it's tasty). Just below mid center of the ice cream label was this statement, "Natural Flavors Added". Huh? What does that mean? It implies that the whole product is not natural, but a little natural ingredients are added. that is impossible with ice cream. Surely enough I read the ingredients...cream,. milk, egg yolks, banana puree, sugar....They all seem natural to me. So what does the label mean? Is it a warning? Is it a requirement for the manufacturer to say that? Did they make amistake and mean "Some Artificial Flavors Added"?
On of the funniest label warnings I once read was on a bottle of Jane's baby lotion. In bold print it said "Keep away from Children". Haha Good luck selling that to babies with that kind of warning. Every hairdryer sold today warns not to use it in the shower. If you get a bottle of sleeping pills from your bathroom it probably says "May Cause Drowsiness" on the label. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh How stupid do they think we are?
I say, put the product in an easy to open and close paper bag and don't print anything except the name, ingredients and price. The rest I can figure out on my own. Oh, by the way...I am obliged to warn you that "This E mail may deaden the brain".
Another plastic container I hate is the kind that is thicker and houses electronic and other more expensive and delicate devices, like a hard drive for instance. How does one open those? I always wind up getting so frustrated trying to pry it open that I just get scissors and cut it open. They use this type to keep customers from getting inside to tamper or steal the product. And like the other plastic container I mentioned above, it provides protection for the product inside in case it is smashed or dropped.That leads me to one of my points today, that containers are made for the benefit of the maker, not the consumer. In fact, most things about the products we buy are customized for the manufacturer's welfare- to ship more easily, to protect against liability, to make the product look larger or better, to make it seem to weigh more and on and on. First the maker satisfies self, and then thinks about the buyer.
And what about the words on the product labeling? Some times I am mystified at them. Yesterday I saw a small container of "banana pudding ice cream" in a local grocery store. I rarely buy ice cream in groceries but the sound of that flavor was too interesting to resist (I bought it and it's tasty). Just below mid center of the ice cream label was this statement, "Natural Flavors Added". Huh? What does that mean? It implies that the whole product is not natural, but a little natural ingredients are added. that is impossible with ice cream. Surely enough I read the ingredients...cream,. milk, egg yolks, banana puree, sugar....They all seem natural to me. So what does the label mean? Is it a warning? Is it a requirement for the manufacturer to say that? Did they make amistake and mean "Some Artificial Flavors Added"?
On of the funniest label warnings I once read was on a bottle of Jane's baby lotion. In bold print it said "Keep away from Children". Haha Good luck selling that to babies with that kind of warning. Every hairdryer sold today warns not to use it in the shower. If you get a bottle of sleeping pills from your bathroom it probably says "May Cause Drowsiness" on the label. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh How stupid do they think we are?
I say, put the product in an easy to open and close paper bag and don't print anything except the name, ingredients and price. The rest I can figure out on my own. Oh, by the way...I am obliged to warn you that "This E mail may deaden the brain".
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Evolution of Electronic Language
I have been ranting about cell phones for years. It's no secret that I think they are one of the bigger impediments to civil behavior and basic politeness. They seem to be taking over most other forms of communication too. It used to be that when we communicated electronically it was via E mail. Well, E mail as a personal correspondence is on it's last legs. What replaced E mail is instant messaging. IM is still popular but I see it is dying too and being replaced by texting on the phone. Ugh! There is a pattern here that isn't a positive one.
The evolution is E mail to IM to texting. Hmmmmm I see patterns that are continuous in that evolution. Take, precision, for example. At each stage of the personal electronic communication evolution there is a decline from precise communication and a movement toward more informal language. E mail itself was just was semi formal communication. (I miss old fashioned snail mail). The E mail writer did not have immediate feedback, as is so in the case of the other two.
Therefore, when sending an E mail it was important to use at least some complete sentences, grammatical and syntax or the reader might be confused or not understand what was said. For awhile, we wrote E mails as we wrote snail letters, with care and precision as a guideline. That has changed as electronic communication has become even less formal. Even E mails now are lacking structure.
When Instant messaging and all its annoying cutsie icon symbols and abbreviations (the creator of "lol" should be publicly flogged!) became popular as a substitute fro E mail, E mail became less precise and since has lost much of its appeal to users. I think the writing skills of people today are at an all time low level now, and I blame the informality of modern electronic mediums for some of that. Formal language has been smothered by informal language, even in cases where formal language use is the only that is needed.
Instant messaging has the advantage of being instantaneous communication, and it has much lower levels of skill as a requirement when using. A person can cover his or her poor language ability by constant restatement on IM and by using that annoying IM slang that everyone understands. If I were teaching English now I would assign my students the task of writing the same message in each of the three forms I have described here, or at least in how we most typically see the message written in each of them. It might show the student (at least the ones capable of understanding the distinction in styles of all three) that, though informal language is easier to use and "more fun", sometimes (when precise understanding is desired) it is far from being the better mode to use. Perhaps one student might even decide to communicate with less informality and with more precision. But then, I am a dreamer....
The third electronic communication that has evolved and now become most popular is texting. I find very little of use in that, but confess to have never texted myself and to having never owned a cell phone. Of that I am proud! I haven't drunk the poison. Texting is the equivalent of babbling because the majority of it is unintelligible and un necessary. Those who most like to text also most like to hear themselves talk. They are on auto pilot, texting but signifying nothing of importance (yes, tweeting).
It's sad to see the written language assaulted by these new lazy mediums of communication. Every tweet is another nail in the casket of communication......
The evolution is E mail to IM to texting. Hmmmmm I see patterns that are continuous in that evolution. Take, precision, for example. At each stage of the personal electronic communication evolution there is a decline from precise communication and a movement toward more informal language. E mail itself was just was semi formal communication. (I miss old fashioned snail mail). The E mail writer did not have immediate feedback, as is so in the case of the other two.
Therefore, when sending an E mail it was important to use at least some complete sentences, grammatical and syntax or the reader might be confused or not understand what was said. For awhile, we wrote E mails as we wrote snail letters, with care and precision as a guideline. That has changed as electronic communication has become even less formal. Even E mails now are lacking structure.
When Instant messaging and all its annoying cutsie icon symbols and abbreviations (the creator of "lol" should be publicly flogged!) became popular as a substitute fro E mail, E mail became less precise and since has lost much of its appeal to users. I think the writing skills of people today are at an all time low level now, and I blame the informality of modern electronic mediums for some of that. Formal language has been smothered by informal language, even in cases where formal language use is the only that is needed.
Instant messaging has the advantage of being instantaneous communication, and it has much lower levels of skill as a requirement when using. A person can cover his or her poor language ability by constant restatement on IM and by using that annoying IM slang that everyone understands. If I were teaching English now I would assign my students the task of writing the same message in each of the three forms I have described here, or at least in how we most typically see the message written in each of them. It might show the student (at least the ones capable of understanding the distinction in styles of all three) that, though informal language is easier to use and "more fun", sometimes (when precise understanding is desired) it is far from being the better mode to use. Perhaps one student might even decide to communicate with less informality and with more precision. But then, I am a dreamer....
The third electronic communication that has evolved and now become most popular is texting. I find very little of use in that, but confess to have never texted myself and to having never owned a cell phone. Of that I am proud! I haven't drunk the poison. Texting is the equivalent of babbling because the majority of it is unintelligible and un necessary. Those who most like to text also most like to hear themselves talk. They are on auto pilot, texting but signifying nothing of importance (yes, tweeting).
It's sad to see the written language assaulted by these new lazy mediums of communication. Every tweet is another nail in the casket of communication......
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