Better Weather, Richer Color

It's been so gray, rainy, cold and dreary here that I feel compelled to post a picture from my garden from last Spring. Behold one of my favorite peonies------a named variety called Old Faithful. It's too early to be looking forward to Spring, but still.....

Have a great Weekend!

Democratic Senators Against Health Reform, For Themselves

At least they made a reasonable amount of money. How embarassing for us all if our dems went cheap; say, 30 pieces of currency, or something.

Sen. Evan Bayh (theoretically D, from Illinois) has stated that he won't even vote to allow the current health care bill to be debated on the floor of the senate. This is serious, as it only takes 40 senators to block debate. This is terrible. Why has he decided to switch sides? Well, for the all-to-usual reason. It'll make him a truckload or two of moolah. What about his approx. 1.4 million uninsured constituents? They sure as heck don't pay his bills. Seeing as how they don't even have the money for their own health care, silly.

Who pays those bills? Why, Wellpoint insurance, who has paid his wife, Susan Bayh, at least two million dollars. Add to that, another two million or so from other health insurance company boards she sits on, and we're talking a Senator who knows what he's worth, and who his real constituency is. Hint, it's not those that vote for him, or anyone else that can't weild a 6ish figure check.

Now onto Sen. Lieberman, who has threatened to filibuster any bill with a public option. He has made his distaste for health care known. He hasn't made his wife Hadassah's work for Hill and Knowlton so well known. "The legendary lobbying and PR firm hired her as a 'senior counselor' in its 'health and pharmaceuticals practice'" in 2005. She has since quit, but Lieberman has accepted about two million from health care and pharmaceutical companies for his reelection fund in 2006 and has already taken in another cool million from them for his 2010 run. With money like that, why should he care that his constituents favor the public option 64-36?

Pic thanks to http://comicstripfan.com/webcomics/m/matriculated.htm

Rare Exile on Main Street Footage Surfaces

Robert Frank is a renowned photojournalist and photographer that changed the look of photography in his book "The Americans," published back in 1958. In 1971, he took the photos for the Rolling Stones "Exile on Main Street" cover. Super-8 footage used for those photos popped up on youtube. Be the first in your state it watch it. For a music and photography geek like me, it's pretty exciting. All hail Youtube.

Leiberman is derailing public option and looking longingly at Canadian Health Care.

Yes, you read that right. TPM reports "Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told reporters today that he would in fact filibuster any health care bill he doesn't agree with--and right now, he doesn't agree with the public option proposal making its way through the Senate." ... "Therefore I will try to stop the passage of the bill."

At the same time Mr. Lieberman doesn't seem to be able to figure out why Canada is having a much easier time getting sufficient H1N1 vaccine.

A U.S. senator looked longingly at Canada's H1N1 vaccine supply Wednesday, as Americans rushed to get vaccinated against the swine flu virus and some places ran short of doses.

Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat from Connecticut, attributed the U.S. shortage in part to countries such as Canada, where H1N1 vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline faced pressure from Ottawa to "fill Canadian needs" for the vaccine before supplying the United States.

Reported by CBC News.

Now why do you think Canada could strong-arm GlaxoSmithKline and (insert random doctor from the US) couldn't? Hmmm? Any takers?

ps. Sorry, Barney.

What a Costume!

(Left click on pics for greater clarity.)


Last year when we were visiting Antwerp, I really liked the sculpture depicting the "ongoing" work of finishing the Cathedral there. When the church was originally built (starting in the late 1400's), they ran out of funds, and one tower remains incomplete. In the 1800's, a sculptor fashioned these figures which stand alongside the church, continuing to "work" on what is now considered a permanently unfinished building.

When I first saw them, it was too late and dark to take pictures, but since it was not far from our hotel, I decided to double back the next morning, and take advantage of better lighting. When I arrived, I saw that a street performer was puttering about amongst the figures, putting on the finishing touches of a costume to make him blend in .

In vain, I struggled to get shots that did not include him. I felt too shy to ask him to get out of the way for a few moments, but now what I like best about these pictures is the fact that he was getting ready. You can also see the mirror (top pic) that he used to apply his make-up, and of course, his tip-jar.


All he needs now are his gloves.

Orginal " Cold Pizza for Breakfast"

Christine Lavin wrote that really fun song way back when....

She has recently changed some of the the lyrics to something about Oprah instead Dr Tarnower. She decided retroactively that the lyrics were too mean.(No wonder this part was my favorite .)

Another good reason to change the lyrics might be that people no longer know who Dr. Tarnower and Jean Harris are. Short version: he wrote the Scarsdale (low fat) diet book, and she shot him for being unfaithful.

Now you can enjoy the original lyrics (they're better), if you're mean enough, that is. The "mean" part starts around t=1:24


Herman Tarnower would never approve
I can hear him spinning in his grave
He could be alive eating pizza right now
Except for when it came to dating women,
The good doctor did not know how to behave!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Herman was healthy
But Herman is dead.
A pizza surely didn't do him in.
Jean Harris is behind bars lookin' quite sad.....and thin!
Do you see what I'm gettin' at?
You tend to kill when you're skinny
But not when you're fat!

So give me pizza for breakfast.....

I'm pretty sure she is re-releasing this tune with the new lyrics on a new album. Rather than changing the lyrics, I wish she had gotten rid of the gasping after the words 'warm coke'. I could do without that.

Not an Alien, and Way Stranger Than Fiction

Cymothoa exigua is a salt water parasite that grasps the tongue of its host fish to begin feeding. The tongue dies eventually, and the parasite replaces the tongue staying put right there in the fish's mouth. A claustrophobic Cymothoan would have a pretty miserable existence it appears.



(The above pictures came from here.)

So, this unusual creature may not be an actual alien, but it was an inspiration for the creatures in the movie "Alien". Remember the mouth-within-a-mouth look of the aliens in that movie? (See picture below.)

Giant Seagull Steals the Show

As the newscaster read the news, a seemingly gigantic seagull strolled past.

The explanation?


The backdrop of the city for the show is not just a fixed shot. An outdoor camera mounted high up on a building streams the backdrop for the show. Apparently it is right next to the ledge that this seagull was strutting around on.

This Fashion Was Not Intended For Halloween!

Reid Peppard is the designer to blame for these atrocities. Truly, fashion has jumped the shark when people start festooning their hair with preserved rodents.


..... or using a rat for a coin purse.


.....or mice for cufflinks.




I know there was a time when people bought brightly dyed rabbit foot keychains, but they were featureless. Fox stoles often used to have the faces and extremities intact, but it's hard to believe that anyone wants that look to come back.

My Favorite Deli

I just saw a poll being taken at the Huffington Post about the best delis in New York City, and was pleased to see Russ and Daughters near the top. ( #2 )

Russ and Daughters is an old fashioned (in a good way!) deli on the lower east side that specializes in smoked fish, pickled herring, lox, caviar and other delicacies.

We chanced upon it many years back. It was crowded with customers (a good sign), and everyone listened carefully as they called out which number was "next". While we were waiting for our pastrami lox-----beautiful salmon coated with crushed peppercorns------we saw an angry looking woman thrust a large tin of caviar onto the counter and demand a refund.

Naturally, they asked what the problem had been, and she declared, "It does not say anywhere on the package, 'refrigerate after opening', and my husband left it out. This was expensive, and the container should have included that information."

The clerk looked at her in disbelief and responded, "We cannot give a refund for that. The caviar was good, and you left it out, so that's your fault."

She reminded him that she thought the packaging was inadequate without the appropriate warning about refrigeration. The exchanges went back and forth a few rounds and when finally all the customers in the store were rolling their eyes and shaking their heads, the clerk said, "The can does not have to say that. Caviar is fish. Any idiot knows that you have to refrigerate fish!"

"But we're not talking about 'any idiot'! We're talking about my husband!"

There was a lengthy pause. "Number 87!"

"But I'm not finished!"

"Yes ma'am, you are!.....Next!!"

Customers surged between her and the counter, and she backed up, mouth gaping and gasping like a sturgeon out of water. The whole store erupted in laughter when the door finally closed behind her.

We've been back whenever we get the chance. If you ever want to check them out, be advised, they are closed every Saturday (naturally).

A dog hero

Here's a story (and a video) of a homeless dog behaving completely altruistically. He (or she) dragged a dog that had been hit out of heavy traffic.



As mentioned earlier, dogs and humans have been companion species for about 135,000 year, it now appears. What benefits have accrued? Dogs can read human expressions. As proved by scientists. Humans can also read dog expressions. As proved by me.

Thanks to my daughter apricot blossom for showing me this video.

Larval Jewelry?!?

©heatherkh via flickr
I don't know that I would buy one, but this is pretty interesting.


A jewelry maker and former naturalist, Hubert Duprat has made jewelry using the larvae of the caddisfly. The larvae of the caddisfly have evolved to coat themselves with gravel to camouflage themselves (first picture).

Duprat removed their gravel coverings, and placed them in tanks with gold flakes and other precious materials.



Here are a few of the results.



(Photos Jean-Luc Fournier. Courtesy Art:concept, Paris, and Zero Gallery, Milan.)

When will someone surround me with gold flakes and precious gems and let me cover myself with them?

Puppy Love

Another story about dog fighting and animal cruelty has come to national attention. An owner was found to have about 80 dogs, mostly pit bulls, living in horrific conditions, hidden in the woods. He is thought to have been providing dogs for fights even if not directly involved in the organizing or attending the fights himself.

I only wish the penalties for this beastly activity were more severe. Although I am allergic to dogs and can't have one as a pet, I am a dog lover. The degree of emotional connection between humans and dogs, and their astonishing loyalty to their owners demand reciprocal loyalty and protection on our part. (The linked story is a real tear-jerker!)


Humans and dogs are known to have been living closely together for at least 15,000 years. New genetic studies suggest that humans started domesticating dogs more like 135,000 years ago. Some scientists believe that wolf social structure inspired humans to behave more cooperatively. (Chimpanzees, by comparison, are found to be relatively non-altruistic.) Another study reveals that dogs (wild ones) are even better at reading human gestures such as pointing than chimps are.

The picture I posted above I found at Izismile. To me it reveals this loving pet's ability to channel his master's innermost feelings.

Poltergeist-----the Rag

Composer, William Bolcom, has written piano pieces continuing in the ragtime tradition, though with a more modern feel.
I love the playful and spooky spirit of this piece masterfully performed here by Olivier Cazal. Check out the eyebrow action at t=2:23 or so!

Scott Joplin's Platinum Hit

The Maple Leaf Rag was written in 1899, and was the first piece of sheet music to sell over a million copies.

I remember my grandmother telling me about how my grandfather would play the Maple Leaf Rag to impress her back when he was wooing her. She still had the sheet music, yellow, brittle and flaking around the edges. She gave it to us when my sister and I started taking piano lessons, and my sister has it to this day. It looks exactly like this edition. (I love the access that we have to cherished memories through the divine intervention of the internet.)

I learned the first two strains, but never the third which is harder. Looking around on You-Tube, there were a lot of versions, but I kind of liked this one. He plays it "shuffle style" rather than straight which many musicians argue about tediously, and he improvises and embellishes frequently which would probably enrage yet more scholars. But I really enjoy his version more than just about any of the others. (Sometimes a potentially good version is ruined by poor recording quality.) Often it is simply played way too fast.

The piano he used also sounds perfect for this. Enjoy!