Monday, June 30, 2008

The French Dinner

Last weekend, we hosted an intimate dinner for six at HiltonHouse. Mieko used ideas that she had picked up last month in France. It was a five-course dinner and it lasted for four hours! Mieko was pleased, and we hope our guests were, also.
This was just one of the appetizer plates:

The main course was large, unshelled shrimp. We think that the shells may add taste during the cooking process. The zucchini is from the Farm, and the shrimp are from the New Shrimp Farm (just kidding!):

A good time was had by all.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Aussies Have Talent!


Tommy Emmanuel is pretty damned good.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Ain't No Bugs On Me


We notice that our Big Brother up on top has illustrated a smoky sunset. Pshaw. That's nothing. Here's a snap of a smoky sunrise! If you squint really tight, that's Mt. Diablo to the right of the bright orange thingy.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Lament The Printed Page

***UPDATEOn Thursday, the City of Oakland announced that they would try to find a "public/private" way to save de Lauer's***

Things sure happen fast, sometimes. The printed page is definitely on the way out, thanks to the Internet and the many new, efficient ways of transmitting information.


My all-time favorite newsstand, de Lauer's in downtown Oakland, is closing. Too much cost, not enough income. This place was open 24/7/365, not even closing for Christmas! Where else could you find yesterday's edition of the St. Louis Post Dispatch? Where else, indeed.


And this follows the news earlier this week that Cody's Books of Berkeley is finally closing forever. Cody's was there when I first arrived on the West Coast in the middle of the last century. It changed owners and moved in the last few years, but it was not enough to stay afloat. Just too much Amazon, Borders, Barnes&Noble, etc.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Your Tax Dollars At Work


Similar views from NASA at:

http://www.texasjim.com/NASApix/NASA%20pix.htm

(Cut and Paste)

Try it. You'll like it!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Clouds Like This, We Seldom See


But we were warned about possible thunderstorms and dry lightning. Meanwhile, it was about 100F with a humidity of 8%. 8% is about the humidity inside a kitchen oven preheated to 400 degrees.
Fortunately, the prediction is for a cooler day tomorrow.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Summer Solstice


Friday, 20 June 2008, 11:57 p.m. UTC. (About 7 p.m. here on the West Coast.)

Enjoy!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Is This Not Humorous?

This is from a full-page in this morning's paper:

United Way of the Bay Area salutes this year's winner of the 2007 - 08
Spirit of the Bay Award


for making a difference in people's lives and communities in the Bay Area.

(With gas at $4.59, I can't be the only one who found this funny!)

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Thursday, June 12, 2008

This Is Getting Ridiculous!


This is Burj-Dubai, 160+ floors, condos preselling at about $3500/sq.ft.,etc. etc.
I am not convinced that this is what architecture and buildings are all about.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Right Turn Only!


So, this is the intersection of I5 and US101 in Glendale. Astonishing.
I'm guessing that the 101 is on the surface and the 5 is overhead, but what do I know?
(We did this intersection a few months ago at Sarah's wedding, btw)

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Barrels!


LOTS of barrels.

Monday, June 09, 2008

"Little Boxes"


The boxes above are from France, not Daly City!
I am reminded, however, of my days just before we jaunted off to Guam.
"Little Boxes" was written by Malvina Reynolds in 1962, a period of questioning. Reynolds, born to a Northern California family of Communists (not a pejorative, in this case) was educated at UCB, and celebrated the times.
Here's Pete Seeger, and her song:

Friday, June 06, 2008

606 Tries, US$6 million, 3 months


There are no computer graphics involved here! Over and over they set, and reset, and reset...until, finally, they got it right!

(And, yes. When they are touched by rainwater, the 2008 windshield wipers really do start working.)

General Motors Downsizes


Sorry. It's a slow Friday.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Proud Of His Work!

Fredric Baur, who invented the Pringle and the iconic Can, died last month in Cincinnati at age 89. He was buried, at his request, in a Pringle Can. Mr. Baur invented the Pringle while at Proctor & Gamble, who introduced the product in 1973.

To answer your unasked question, not it was not a coffin shaped like a Pringle Can. He was cremated, and his ashes were interred in a standard can.

Monday, June 02, 2008

A Visitor On Our Roof


(Click to enlarge.)
It's the bushy-tailed fellow on the right, not the ever-vigilant huron on the left, who was visiting.