Until we meet again, Tora

Rest In Peace, Tora

Tora, you were never just a "pet"; you were part of the Infalt family. You suffered abuse from your previous owner who used you as target practice; and you suffered again while battling a crippling neurological disorder.

But tonight you have peace. You stand on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, waiting for the day when the rest of your family come to see you. Rest in Peace, Tora. We'll try to do a Photoshop project in your honor and memory.

Nightwish in November !!

WooHoo!! According to a reliable source (Jason), Nightwish will be here in Tempe on November 7th. They are a "must see" for me. This is as good as Symphonic Metal gets, with the possible exception of Within Temptation.

Hey (cousin) Ellen! If you read this - I'll buy your Nightwish ticket if you come out to Arizona to take in this concert! :-) Heck, I'll offer the same deal to any others of my out-of-towner kin. Phoenix is not nice right now (115°F and no cooling in sight), but it's downright pleasant come November.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Yeah, it was two days ago, but I've been busy.

Is this a cool picture or what? I'm not sure if it's real or photoshopped. I've always wondered why nobody ever built a full-sized replica of Stonehenge, including its astronomical accuracy. Maybe someone did. If so, I'd love to know where it is.

One of my multiple personalities is a Druid, so henges and solstices are important to me ...us ...whatever.

"1632" - by Eric Flint

Title : 1632

Author : Eric Flint

Genre : Alternate History

Rating : B+

You'll find 1632 in the Sci Fi section of your local bookstore. But there's no science fiction, other than a brief opening reference to "the Assiti shards". Which in reality is just a literary device to transpose a West Virginia town from 2000 into 17th Century Germany and the 30 Years War. Can 20th Century technology and hillbilly determination change European history, presumably for the better? That's what the book explores.

What's To Like...
Well, it's obvious that Eric Flint thoroughly researched this era. And it's nice that the West Virginians get dropped into a place-&-time that most of us are unfamiliar with. Much better and more original than plopping them into, say, Pearl Harbor 1941, or Custer's Last Stand.

Also, distracting stuff like Romance and Social Drama are kept to a bare minimum. Hey, we're reading this for the historical musing; not some sappy love story.

Finally, Flint doesn't fall into the trap of penning a right-wing action diatribe. For instance, there are inter-racial, inter-religious, and inter-dimensional marriages for the reader to come to grips with. Plus issues like "English-only" and Women's Lib. No soapbox oratory on such subjects; they're just presented; you get to see how the 1633 Germans react to them, and you can then form (or reflect upon) your own opinions.

What's Not To Like...
Not much. I guess my main quibble is how the main protagonist - Mike Stearns - is portrayed. This is Mr. Perfect. He's handsome, charismatic, and a born organizer and leader. He grasps 17th Century European politics and warfare instantly, like they are Sesame Street concepts. Not bad for a hillbilly.

The Europeans come off as little more than Neanderthals. They get slaughtered in battles due to being out-gunned and out-technologied. And instead of trying to steal the West Virginians' incredible toys, they just charge again, and get chopped to ribbons again.

Then there's the incredible talents and achievements by the rest of the West Virginians. By fortuitous chance, there's a refinery in their town. Okay, I'll allow that for the sake of the plot. But the operators are the most innovative of fellows - they know how to build a new refinery, from scratch, and via 300-year-old materials of construction. Methinks if you really wanted to accomplish this, it would have been prudent to also time-warp the Engineering Department from West Virginia University.

Ditto for a West Virginian pilot. Not only can he fly a plane, but if you give him a couple trees and some duct tape, he can build a second plane, albeit, of WW1 design.

Then there's the Olympics medal-winning female sharpshooter that also by good fortune gets time-warped, and who enables the out-manned Americans to constantly take out all the bad-guy leaders.

Finally, there's the Women's Libber & Pacifist - Melissa Mailey, who finds true love and cosmic happiness in 1632 Germany, but only after she's thrown off those too-modern attitudes. I can accept that 20th Century issues might be irrelevant in 17th Century Germany. But it's quite a stretch to think that abandoning one's lifelong ideals will somehow suddenly bring you inner peace.

In conclusion...
Wikipedia gives some fascinating background on both Eric Flint and this series. To save us both some time and space, go there and read about it.

There is a sequel in papaerback, unsurprisingly titled "1633". A review on it will follow shortly. There are several offshoot storylines, the majority of which were written by amateur fans of 1632, and with the active encouragement of Eric Flint. A threequel ("1634" of course) is in the works, as are several other Assiti shard time-warps, one of which reportedly involves sending George Washington back to ancient Rome.

Overall, this is a fine book. 592 pages of history, alternate history, action, social commentary, and "what-if's". Definitely worth reading.

Vaya con Dios, Red

Just when it appeared we'd be forced to take him to a shelter, Liz found a young couple to take Red in. I am told he will have a big backyard to run in, and Liz gave the couple a "Care Package" of squeaky toys, stuffed animals, big chewies, and a leash.

Red was less-than-thrilled to be changing owners yet again, but our three dogs are happy to have things get back to normal. The couple are patients where Liz works, and they own and operate a nearby Mexican Food take-out place. So we might get updates on Red.

Vaya con Dios, Red. You are a sweet, gentle, lovable dog who only wants to do good. You deserve lots of love, attention, and stability. Alas, our house just wasn't the permanent answer.

Oh, the Hypocrisy!

"We hope this report encourages responsible nations across the globe to stand together, to speak with one voice and to say that freedom and security are non-negotiable demands of human dignity, and to say... "No one is fit to be a master and no one deserves to be a slave".
- Condi Rice, 06/12/07, re the 2007 Human Trafficking report -

Hey Condi, you stinking hypocrite! Remember this?

Avast, ye landlubbers...

The pirate haven in Tempe is no more. Jason and his roommates have gone their various ways. The skull-&-crossbones has flown in their front yard for a couple of years now. I'm not sure who got possession of the flag.

Duplex

Jason and Preacher now live in the left half of this duplex in Phoenix. Preacher "rearranged" the blinds on the front window so he could look out and see Jason when he's getting home from work.

Red (01)

Liz has brought home yet another stray. He wandered up to us while we were walking the dogs on Thursday night. He's skinny, but has a collar on. Ideally, we'd like to reunite him with his family. Failing in that, it's "Free To A Good Home".

Red (02)

He's just a puppy. He's got a pit-bull head. But the body is smaller - maybe a greyhound? I gave him a temporary name of "Red". He's gentle, good with children, and (like Marius) never barks.

Red (03)

Oh yeah, he's got "bat-wing" ears. He's "semi" housebroken. It took him less than 1 day to figure out the doggy door. Whoever owns him, taught him not to jump up on people or get on the furniture.

Red (04)

Jynx is teaching him to chase the ball and play with stuffed toys. But hopefully he'll have another owner by the end of the weekend.

Forever Slave - Alice's Inferno

FOREVER SLAVE - ALICE'S INFERNO (2005)

RATING : ***** (out of 10*)

A good Gothic Metal band out of Spain that no one's ever heard of. With "Lady Angellyca" doing the vocals and "Servalath" on guitar. The symphonic arrangements (think Nightwish and Within Temptation) are quite good and the guitar licks are superb. Plus it's a concept album.

So why only five stars? Well, the lyrics are half in English, half in Spanish. Which doesn't matter much, since Ms. Angellyca sounds like she's got a mouthful of mashed potatoes throughout the album. Honestly, you'll understand more of the male " beast grunting" lyrics (which irritatingly goes on through the whole album) than the female "beauty vocals".

And while Servalath occasionally cuts loose with some magnificent guitar-work, it just doesn't happen often enough. For the most part, this is just your standard metal thrash stuff.

Overall then. the positives are equal to the negatives. So go to www.lyricsmania.com , copy down the lyrics, then sit back and enjoy this CD.

Memorial Day - 2007

Support the Troops. Bring 'em home now.

Silence of the Hams

Title : Silence Of The Hams

Author : Jill Churchill

Rating : D+

We have a book-exchange where I work, and with a witty title like Silence Of The Hams, I just had to take this book home and read it.

Alas, it was quite the disappointment. Mean Mr. Robert Stonecipher is found dead beneath a fallen rack of hams at the local deli. When his secretary also meets an untimely end soon thereafter, its time for soccer-mom Jane Jeffry and her best Shelley Nowack to take it upon themselves to investigate the deaths.

Think "Murder She Wrote", except make Angela Lansbury a divorced Mom, raising two kids. The story plods along with our pair of sleuthettes chit-chatting with all the suspects and frankly getting nowhere fast. Jane's BF just happens to be the detective working on the case, who keeps giving her (and us) unwitting updates on his lack of progress. How convenient.

Finally, 255 pages into the 278-page book, Jane decides to root through a bag of trash, picked up by her son, who conveniently works at the deli, who conveniently picked up the trash from around the deli several days after the "ham-incident", and who conveniently decided to bring said bag of trash home rather than throw it in a dumpster. Conveniently, there's the case-breaking clue in that trash.

I dunno. Maybe this was targetting an audience of Junior High girls. It has all the plot-tension of a phone directory. But no $$$ were expended, so my only investment was a couple hours of my time. And at least the book was fast-reading.

Jill Churchill's title motif apparently is witty take-offs of familiar book and movie titles. Besides SOTH, there are Grime and Punishment, A Farewell To Yarns, A Quiche Befor Dying, The Class Menagerie, A Knife To Remember, and Fom Here To Paternity.

I you enjoy Nancy Drew books, then this is your kind of story. Otherwise, it's skippable.

We Remember...

RIP, Jerry Falwell

The right-wing bigot and politician Jerry Falwell passed away on the Ides of May. Apparently, all the hatred coursing through his veins finally clogged up his heart.

Among Jerry's political revelations : Communists were behind the Civil Rights movement; Abortionists caused 9-11 (with help from the pagans, the feminists, and the gays); Liberals are behind Global Warming; and Teletubby Tinky-Winky is behind the Gays. Or maybe the gays are behind Tinky-Winky.

- Political Epitaph -

There are lots of websites out there with lots of Falwell hate quotes. We'll list just one, from way back in 1958 :

"The true Negro does not want integration. He realizes his potential is far better among his own race. Who then is propagating this terrible thing? First of all, we see the hand of Moscow in the background..."

- Spiritual Contributions -

He once expelled three students from his Bible College after catching them worshipping at a Pentecostal church instead of at the prescribed Baptist Church. Feel the love, Jerry!

Ivan's War by Catherine Merridale

Ivan's War - Life & Death in the Red Army (1939-1945)

Author : Catherine Merridale

Rating : C

I like reading historical non-fiction. If I can't read actual history, I'll gladly settle for "Alternate History", but that's a subject for another time.

I especially like reading about relatively unknown historical topics. After all, can there really be a "new angle" to, say, the Battle of Gettyburg, or D-Day? So a book about day-to-day life in the Red Army during WW2 is something that will naturally appeal to me.

Catherine Merridale spared no effort in researching this book. She spent many weeks in Russia, interviewing old WW2 veterans and poring over recently-declassified documents.

Unfortunately, one gets the feeling the Red Army vets never really opened up to her. So she was stuck with a mountain of documents to go through instead, knowing all the time that Stalin and his minions had probably sanitized the entire lot many decades ago.

In the end, you get 400 pages of interesting, but highly selective and highly repetitive accounts. Worse, the book lacks any direction. Yes, it's laid out in roughly chronological order. But this is a book about the lives of the soldiers, not the campaigns. It would've been better to arrange the book by theme ("humor", "day-to-day living", "supplies", "the growth of patriotism" (or lack thereof), politics, etc.

Instead, the book plods along retracing ad nauseum the same trite themes : it was cold, life was brutal, lots of soldiers perished, the Germans were brutes, etc. In 1941. In 1942. In 1943. In 1944. In 1945. You get the idea.

This could've been a great book, but perhaps the fault lies with the Russian veterans for not providing anything of substance in Merridale's interviews. In any event, if you love to read history, it's won't disappoint you. But if you aren't a avid history-phile, perhaps it's better to read The Longest Day.

TPFE - 04/22/07 (a)

We went to see The Pink Floyd Experience last Sunday at the Chandler Arts Center. No, it wasn't actually Pink Floyd. Just a group of musicians playing classic PF hits, and giving you a "vintage" PF light show.

TPFE - 04/22/07 (b)

You got all the hits, except maybe Learning To Fly and Echoes. They even did one very early PF tune in memory of Syd Barrett, who passed away recently. That was a kewl piece of homage.

TPFE - 04/22/07 (c)

They had the surreal background pictures a la the "Dark Side of the Moon" tour. No crashing airplane though. They played the whole DSOTM album from start to finish right after intermission. Awesome!

TPFE - 04/22/07 (d)

The light-bulb man made a brief appearance. I missed the PF tour that included this effect.

TPFE - 04/22/07 (e)

And of course, the floating pig had to make an appearance.

TPFE - 04/22/07 (f)

They struggled a bit to re-create the "One Of These Days" tune. But the rest was pretty true-to-original. And the (male) lead singer did a fantastic job of doing the high, black female vocals from DSOTM.

TPFE - 04/22/07 (g)

All-in-all, a worthwhile concert. Especially since the real PF no longer tours. BTW, I didn't take these photos. They've been 'borrowed' from...

TPFE - 04/22/07 (h)

...from their website at :

www.thepinkfloydexperience.net

Hey, these guys are good! Check out their tour schedule and catch them the next time they come to your town.

New Blog - 2007 Phoenix Pride Parade

The 2007 Phoenix Pride Parade is done, and it was a blast! I've posted the 100 best photos at a new blog :

www.2007azpride.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Easter 2007 (a)

Time to get some Easter pics posted, before Memorial Day rolls around. There were 14 people and four dogs enjoying the Holiday. Here are Preacher (Jason's dog) and Jynx (one of ours).

Easter 2007 (b)

We also celebrated Doug's birthday. He turned.... oh yeah.... I promised not to tell how old he is.

Easter 2007 (c)

Yessirree bob! I would never reveal sensitive information such as someone's age.

Easter 2007 (d)

There was swimming for the young'uns, who swore that the water wasn't all that c-c-c-c-cold. Us old'uns had more sense than to believe them.

Easter 2007 (e)

And even Jynx was coaxed to go in. Well, onto the raft via the lure of the tennis ball. Preacher also got in and swam. Actually, I pushed him in and he almost drowned because he doesn't know about steps going into the pool. So I had to quickly pull him out, and therefore there are no photos of the traumatic event.

Easter 2007 (f)

After swimming, there was the birthday celebration.

Easter 2007 (g)

Help was needed to blow all those candles out!

Easter 2007 (h)

Is this a kewl gift bag, or what?!

Easter 2007 (i)

There was lotsa picture-taking.

Easter 2007 (j)

Then it was time to hide the Easter eggs for the kids.

Easter 2007 (k)

And finding them all was quite the challenge.

Easter 2007 (l)

Finally, it was time for noshing...