So, let's cover getting to Beijing...
It was not pretty... I had an 8:00 flight- you remember Airport math... so I was up and checking out of the hotel at 5:00. The traffic on the way to the airport was the lightest I had ever seen in Shanghai... It only took us 24 minutes to get from the Mayfair to the airport in Pudong. We were flying. The taxi driver would put any NYC cabbie to shame.
I got there much too early.
So... flight is at 8:00- checked in opened at 7:00, checked 2 bags- I asked for a bulkhead seat, got a fairly small row number- fifth row. Cool. Bulkhead seat. Things are looking up.
We finally boarded at 7:30- If you go back tothe tales from Crete, and the description of boarding a domestic aircraft on a non-US airport, the difference was night and day.
People were calm, unhurried, polite and generally well-behaved. Heh.
On Shanghai Airlines, and the plane we were on, row 4 is the bulkhead, not 5. Just so you know if you ever are in need of such info... So I'm one row back of the bulkhead. row. Ok.. it's only 90 mins. I can do this.
We loaded up, settled in, and got ready. And waited. And waited.
8:00 came and went. 8:30 passed us by.
They finally asked us to get off the plane, that there were mechanical difficulties- please wait in the boarding lounge. Everyone got a can of Coke or a bottle of water and a packet of cookies, and we sat to wait. At 9:45 we were herded onto a shuttle bus and driven to a new airplane parked out on the apron...
Back on board, get settled in...
Did you know that when the plane is parked at the jetway, they have shore power to run the on-board environmentals, like AC, etc. If you are out on the jetway, there is no power, hence, no AC. Did I tell you I'm a real fan of air conditioning?
Yeah.
So... We're in the plane and we're cooking. And waiting. And waiting. At 10:30 we are herded off the plane amd back into the shuttle bus.
I am ready to force a change of plans- encite a riot to overtake the shuttle bus driver and we'll drive the shuttle bus to Beijing.
I think there would have been violence and probably bloodshed if we had gone back to the terminal. Instead (thank God) we were driven directaly to another plane and loaded on board. Had they not closed the door immediately and started moving, things would have gotten ugly.
The best part- there was a different seat configuration... Row 5 was in business class. Hoo Ha!
We were on the ground in Beijing at 12:30...
The next step of the adventure had begun... I was on my own here...
No private driver, no Tournament Director to help me get from airport to hotel, etc.
I headed for the taxi line and a very uncertain future....
More later.
TBG out-
Monday, August 08, 2005
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Well... It's not SARS...
So, I'll get back to you on the trip to the Great Wall, Tian'amen Square and the Forbidden City in a message or two, but I wanted to let y'all know why there have been no updates for a week...
24 hours after returning to the 'States, the hammer of illness descended on me, hitting me square in the head...
I have a fever, a horrible sinus drip, nausea, and the most amazing, a loss of appetite. Add a raging chest cough and raw throat... I'm thinking SARS or Asian Bird Flu.
13 hours in a planeful of Asians will do that for you. They (the Chinese government) make such a big deal about SARS and other illnesses when you enter the country, it got my wheels turning when I got sick.
Anyway- I went to the Doctor- Gave them my symptoms- they poked and prodded me, did a little research;
A long story short, it's not SARS, but it is a fairly nasty sinus infection.
They gave me a 5 day course of Ketek and sent me on my way...
When I feel a little better I'll do a more comprehensive update.
Take care, y'all...
TBG (really) out-
Friday, July 29, 2005
Shanghai 6 - Adventures in food,
From the Be-Careful-Where-You-Eat Department:
By far, the most popular restaurant in China is the ubiquitous KFC.
Although if you refer to the place as Kentucky Fried, as I have always done, they will look at your funny. It is "Kay Eff Cee"- that's it.
Technically, if your are discussing it in conversation among educated people (Chinese) and not gwailo (Foreign Devils) it will be referred to as " The House of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel". Venerable, because he developed a method of preparing chicken in a unique and tasty manner, and inscrutable because he maintained the secrecy of his recipe of herbs and spices, taking it to the grave with him (or so they say).
Now...
You will see Harlan Saunders' smiling visage beaming down upon you virtually anywhere you travel in any major city in China. As a matter of fact, it is damned hard to find a place where KFC is not (literally) a stone's throw away. Because of it's popularity here, the local population think it is quite a treat to take any Western visitors to their favorite restaurant.
Now, I don't eat at KFC when I'm at home... Why the hell would I do it when I'm here?
(I've covered this before, back when I was here last year with the NBA... But I have some new information... Bear with me here...)
Now- The self-styled Colonel- (Remind me here... Exactly what army bestowed the rank of Colonel on him?) does put out a tasty meal, but why would I want American fast food when I'm in China?
But those wily Chinese have made a copy of the House of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel...
To Wit:
As opposed to:
As you can see, the Logo is almost the same- the imposter being a little more Asian in appearance. The venerable and inscrutable colonel, however, looks the same as he does back in the 'States.
Now, the first time I saw the Sino-Colonel, I just thought the franchisee at that location had lost his copy of the official logo and had re-created it, using that good ol' Chinese "Screw it, I'll make it myself" mindset... But after seeing the Invenerable and Scrutable (heh) Colonel, I resolved that it probably wouldn't be a Good Thing, since they are just trying to copy the V & I Colonel, the food is probably substandard.
You have to say this, when you are trying to ride on someone's already-established reputation, you better do a good job of it. And in this case, they did.
Here's what happened:
I was walking around near my hotel in Shanghai the other night, and I was tired-tired-tired of the food in the cafe in the Hotel. The only other option that I knew of was a McDonalds a block or so away, and a KFC about a half block the other way.
Since neither of those appealed to me, I decided to walk a bit.
I headed beyond the KFC and was passing a building that had been cocooned; a sheaf of scaffolding had been erected around the place in order to give it a facelift.
As I was passing under the scaffolding I saw a small dumpling restaurant...
The pictures of shu mai, pork buns, and soup dumplings are not something I can willingly resist when the Quest For Food is underway.
I went in and found the one copy of the menu in Engrish that they had and proceded to order shrimp and crab soup dumplings, some pork and shrimp dumplings and an order of spring rolls.
It was ambrosia. Just awesome.
I was a happy camper...
The next day, as I was heading out with Mighty Zhou, I remembered to look back as we passed the dumpling place. I saw through the scaffolding the now-familiar face of the Unvenerable and Scrutable Colonel. Oh. My. God. I can't believe I ate at the Imposters!
And it was good!
The Moral of the Story:
Keep an open mind. You never know when you might run into a good dumpling.
TBG Out-
By far, the most popular restaurant in China is the ubiquitous KFC.
Although if you refer to the place as Kentucky Fried, as I have always done, they will look at your funny. It is "Kay Eff Cee"- that's it.
Technically, if your are discussing it in conversation among educated people (Chinese) and not gwailo (Foreign Devils) it will be referred to as " The House of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel". Venerable, because he developed a method of preparing chicken in a unique and tasty manner, and inscrutable because he maintained the secrecy of his recipe of herbs and spices, taking it to the grave with him (or so they say).
Now...
You will see Harlan Saunders' smiling visage beaming down upon you virtually anywhere you travel in any major city in China. As a matter of fact, it is damned hard to find a place where KFC is not (literally) a stone's throw away. Because of it's popularity here, the local population think it is quite a treat to take any Western visitors to their favorite restaurant.
Now, I don't eat at KFC when I'm at home... Why the hell would I do it when I'm here?
(I've covered this before, back when I was here last year with the NBA... But I have some new information... Bear with me here...)
Now- The self-styled Colonel- (Remind me here... Exactly what army bestowed the rank of Colonel on him?) does put out a tasty meal, but why would I want American fast food when I'm in China?
But those wily Chinese have made a copy of the House of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel...
To Wit:
As opposed to:
As you can see, the Logo is almost the same- the imposter being a little more Asian in appearance. The venerable and inscrutable colonel, however, looks the same as he does back in the 'States.
Now, the first time I saw the Sino-Colonel, I just thought the franchisee at that location had lost his copy of the official logo and had re-created it, using that good ol' Chinese "Screw it, I'll make it myself" mindset... But after seeing the Invenerable and Scrutable (heh) Colonel, I resolved that it probably wouldn't be a Good Thing, since they are just trying to copy the V & I Colonel, the food is probably substandard.
You have to say this, when you are trying to ride on someone's already-established reputation, you better do a good job of it. And in this case, they did.
Here's what happened:
I was walking around near my hotel in Shanghai the other night, and I was tired-tired-tired of the food in the cafe in the Hotel. The only other option that I knew of was a McDonalds a block or so away, and a KFC about a half block the other way.
Since neither of those appealed to me, I decided to walk a bit.
I headed beyond the KFC and was passing a building that had been cocooned; a sheaf of scaffolding had been erected around the place in order to give it a facelift.
As I was passing under the scaffolding I saw a small dumpling restaurant...
The pictures of shu mai, pork buns, and soup dumplings are not something I can willingly resist when the Quest For Food is underway.
I went in and found the one copy of the menu in Engrish that they had and proceded to order shrimp and crab soup dumplings, some pork and shrimp dumplings and an order of spring rolls.
It was ambrosia. Just awesome.
I was a happy camper...
The next day, as I was heading out with Mighty Zhou, I remembered to look back as we passed the dumpling place. I saw through the scaffolding the now-familiar face of the Unvenerable and Scrutable Colonel. Oh. My. God. I can't believe I ate at the Imposters!
And it was good!
The Moral of the Story:
Keep an open mind. You never know when you might run into a good dumpling.
TBG Out-
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Shanghai 5
Shanghai Part 5
From the Unclear-On-The-Concept Department:
So... The Driver Mighty Zhou has been busy running the ATP folks around the town, so I've been on my own to get from place to place. Since I needed to visit the Computer Market, and the Night Market (XaingYang) and maybe try to find a place to eat, I wanted to make sure I had a way to get back to the Hotel.
Since I didn't have one of those handy-dandy cards from the hotel that has the name and the address of the place on it, I wanted to get one of the secretaries from the TDs office to make one for me.
The Tournament Director told the girl at the front desk-
"Make him a note that he can give to the taxi driver so they will take him back to the hotel. He's staying at the Mayfair Hotel."
Cool. No worries.
She writes this page in my notebook:
Ok... So I got to the computer place, then to Xiangyang, then get in a taxi to go back to the Hotel.
I show him my note, feeling very smug.
The driver gives me a look like I've lost my mind-
He gestures at my note, then makes some more gestures that I understood to be "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Lovely.
I take out my dog-eared map from last October out of my bag and show him where the hotel is on the map. He looks at it, the light of knowledge going on in his head, and we're off. I settle back in the taxi puzzling over what went wrong.
So, upon arrival at the Mayfair, I head to the concierge desk and show them my note.
"What does this say?" I ask.
There is a quick huddle behind the desk... they throw a round of rock-paper-scissors... oops, wrong event. Sorry.
One of the guys explains to me the meaning...
"These mean "Prease take me home." he tells me gesturing to the Chinese characters on the page.
They all have big grins on their faces...
"Uh..." I ask, "Do y'all have one of those cards with the name and address of the hotel on it?"
Here endeth the lesson.
TBG Out-
From the Unclear-On-The-Concept Department:
So... The Driver Mighty Zhou has been busy running the ATP folks around the town, so I've been on my own to get from place to place. Since I needed to visit the Computer Market, and the Night Market (XaingYang) and maybe try to find a place to eat, I wanted to make sure I had a way to get back to the Hotel.
Since I didn't have one of those handy-dandy cards from the hotel that has the name and the address of the place on it, I wanted to get one of the secretaries from the TDs office to make one for me.
The Tournament Director told the girl at the front desk-
"Make him a note that he can give to the taxi driver so they will take him back to the hotel. He's staying at the Mayfair Hotel."
Cool. No worries.
She writes this page in my notebook:
Ok... So I got to the computer place, then to Xiangyang, then get in a taxi to go back to the Hotel.
I show him my note, feeling very smug.
The driver gives me a look like I've lost my mind-
He gestures at my note, then makes some more gestures that I understood to be "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Lovely.
I take out my dog-eared map from last October out of my bag and show him where the hotel is on the map. He looks at it, the light of knowledge going on in his head, and we're off. I settle back in the taxi puzzling over what went wrong.
So, upon arrival at the Mayfair, I head to the concierge desk and show them my note.
"What does this say?" I ask.
There is a quick huddle behind the desk... they throw a round of rock-paper-scissors... oops, wrong event. Sorry.
One of the guys explains to me the meaning...
"These mean "Prease take me home." he tells me gesturing to the Chinese characters on the page.
They all have big grins on their faces...
"Uh..." I ask, "Do y'all have one of those cards with the name and address of the hotel on it?"
Here endeth the lesson.
TBG Out-
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Shanghai Rules
Shanghai Traffic Rules
After several sojourns along the highways, byways, sidewalks and back alleys
with Zhou, I have compiled the following definitions for driving in Shanghai.
The more astute readers of this little scrap of foolishness might infer that
I have been contemplating driving in this 'burg.
You can put those thoughts to rest... I've finally found a worse place than
Boston to be a driver.
Shanghai Traffic Definitions and Tips:
Right of Way: Whoever gets there first is right in your way.
Green Light: Keep going, liberal use of horn (if you are a car) or bell (if a bicycle) may help prevent right of way.
Red Light: Phase of light most patriotic to China, often evoking strong emotional responses in the hearts of those encountering this color.
Stop Light: What, in Shanghai?
No such thing; not to be confused with "hong lu deng" (red green light), i.e. and aesthetically pleasing, multicolored light which pedestrians may ignore.
Traffic Jam: Neither you, nor those around you are exercising enough vim, vigor and/or can-do spirit to find a non-linear path to continue your journey.
Flashing Green Light: The light is about to change, speed up before it is too late.
Flashing Red Light: Same as flashing green light. Interestingly, according to industrial engineers, making lights flash may be the best method to save money on electricity, short of turning the lights off altogether.
Flashing Blue Light: Time to change sunglasses, or you may be on an airport runway, or perhaps a K-Mart. (Note that right of way does not hold on airport runways)
Head Lights: What you flash to prevent right of way; most vehicles have three settings, off, brights, or broken.
Sound of Policemans Whistle: Immediately act innocent and clueless about what you are doing. (Being a foreigner helps here with the clueless factor). Do not under any circumstances admit that you can speak Chinese.
Policeman Motions you to go: This is your big chance, so grab it fast; sometimes strong enough to overcome right of way (But don't count on it.)
Cutting somebody else off: Smile if you did it by accident, and accuse the other party first if you did it purposefully; or was it the other way around?
Road: Where pedestrians walk and bicyclists ride without looking; after all, feet were created well before bicycles and cars. Liberal application of horn is useful here.
Sidewalk / Pavement: Where drivers and cyclists go when the main road becomes congested with pedestrians; also good place to park cars, bicycles, relatives with lawn chairs.
Gridlock: Multiple drivers exhibiting nearly identical right of way skills having a chance encounter.
The best advice: Stay off the roads. The hotel bar is an excellent alternative.
TBG Out-
After several sojourns along the highways, byways, sidewalks and back alleys
with Zhou, I have compiled the following definitions for driving in Shanghai.
The more astute readers of this little scrap of foolishness might infer that
I have been contemplating driving in this 'burg.
You can put those thoughts to rest... I've finally found a worse place than
Boston to be a driver.
Shanghai Traffic Definitions and Tips:
Right of Way: Whoever gets there first is right in your way.
Green Light: Keep going, liberal use of horn (if you are a car) or bell (if a bicycle) may help prevent right of way.
Red Light: Phase of light most patriotic to China, often evoking strong emotional responses in the hearts of those encountering this color.
Stop Light: What, in Shanghai?
No such thing; not to be confused with "hong lu deng" (red green light), i.e. and aesthetically pleasing, multicolored light which pedestrians may ignore.
Traffic Jam: Neither you, nor those around you are exercising enough vim, vigor and/or can-do spirit to find a non-linear path to continue your journey.
Flashing Green Light: The light is about to change, speed up before it is too late.
Flashing Red Light: Same as flashing green light. Interestingly, according to industrial engineers, making lights flash may be the best method to save money on electricity, short of turning the lights off altogether.
Flashing Blue Light: Time to change sunglasses, or you may be on an airport runway, or perhaps a K-Mart. (Note that right of way does not hold on airport runways)
Head Lights: What you flash to prevent right of way; most vehicles have three settings, off, brights, or broken.
Sound of Policemans Whistle: Immediately act innocent and clueless about what you are doing. (Being a foreigner helps here with the clueless factor). Do not under any circumstances admit that you can speak Chinese.
Policeman Motions you to go: This is your big chance, so grab it fast; sometimes strong enough to overcome right of way (But don't count on it.)
Cutting somebody else off: Smile if you did it by accident, and accuse the other party first if you did it purposefully; or was it the other way around?
Road: Where pedestrians walk and bicyclists ride without looking; after all, feet were created well before bicycles and cars. Liberal application of horn is useful here.
Sidewalk / Pavement: Where drivers and cyclists go when the main road becomes congested with pedestrians; also good place to park cars, bicycles, relatives with lawn chairs.
Gridlock: Multiple drivers exhibiting nearly identical right of way skills having a chance encounter.
The best advice: Stay off the roads. The hotel bar is an excellent alternative.
TBG Out-
Shanghai 4 - Fun on the menu
As I travel around the city, I've taken to reading the menus that are posted
outside restaurants. They are an exercise in creative translation...
Some winning descriptions so far:
Smoking Err
Hairy Crab
Gross Crab
Pies with Lemmin Cram
Meat & Dork (I am definitely NOT eating here....)
A Fried with Filling in it (I'm almost afraid to ask)
Irritate (Must be New York cuisine)
I'll post more as I find them.
TBG out-
outside restaurants. They are an exercise in creative translation...
Some winning descriptions so far:
Smoking Err
Hairy Crab
Gross Crab
Pies with Lemmin Cram
Meat & Dork (I am definitely NOT eating here....)
A Fried with Filling in it (I'm almost afraid to ask)
Irritate (Must be New York cuisine)
I'll post more as I find them.
TBG out-
Shanghai - Part 3
Just a short note...
My driver, Zhou, (pronounced "Joe") has got the brake pedal and the horn
confused... Leans on the horn and makes wild gestures at the pedestrians,
bicycles, cars and basically anything else that moves...
Riding in the back of his van is a treat. I get to see the looks on the
faces of the people he sideswipes and drivers that he cuts off.
Priceless.
TBG Out-
Monday, July 25, 2005
Shanghai 2 (Tuesday)
Well... I'm not sure what's going on...
There has been a problem with sending e-mail to my blog, and I can't log
directly in to post my messages, so it is a bit of a puzzlement.
I'm wondering if it is a symptom of the "censorship" we read about, since I
can't get to any address with "blogspot" in the URL. But, in all fairness,
the internet acess is really slow.
I'll keep trying, though...
Let's see... Yesterday.
A good day. I met up with our clients... Nice guys.
We worked through some details, made some plans for Tuesday, etc...
I got a new sim card for my cell phone, bought some minutes to go along with
it, and also got an international phone card.
Check this out, though... Talk about ripping people off...
The international dialing card... they are labeled 100 yuan, $12.33usd. I
had Leo, the Ops Manager for the tournament go with me to get it... They
sell it to him for 40 yuan, about 2.50... Is that a crock of shit or what?!
Putting the screws to the foreigners. Nice.
And the sim card- I put it in my phone and it asked for my password... I
tried everything I could think of... No go, so I'm going to try to have Leo
call China Mobile today and see if he can figure out what's going on.
So... I'm off to the computer market today, then I have an appointment at
the equipment vendor's location at 2:00pm to test some equipment, then, if I
have time, I'll go to the Night Market... We'll see.
I've acclimated to the time change pretty well... I slept from 10 last night
'til 6 this morning... Only woke up once. I think it was taking the Ambien
on the plane... I didn't really sleep, but I think my body thought I did.
Went to the buffet in the Hotel for dinner last night... About half way
through I remembered my experience in Beijing and how sick I was. I was
pretty careful after that... No adverse effects last night, so I might have
dodged a bullet.
I'm thinking about a Churrascaria tonight, found one not too far away...
Either that or a Dumpling house near the hotel... Di Naing Dumpling House. A
chain here in Shanghai... I ate at one last October while I was here. It was
tasty, and really inexpensive. I got about 20 dumplings and a drink for 3.00
usd. Cheap at twice the price.
Ok- Onward and forward.
TBG Out-
Shanghai 1
Hi Kids- Yours Truly, back in da' Blog...
It has been an especially grueling couple weeks for YT... Cancelled flights,
NYC in the Summertime, one long-assed flight to Asia... Let's just say that
this July will go down in the books as a rough one...
A recap:
Ben & I were going to NYC to test some stuff for the Open... Our first
flight- Just a sec, I'm getting ahead of myself...
Let's talk Kingfish first-
The week before the Jax Kingfish tournament there is a tourney up in
Brunswick Ga...
We had a big blow on Thursday night- completely mangled some of our
equipment. We (Jingalls, Wayne, Redneck, the Rook & YT) spend all of Friday
recovering- We borrowed a board from another event, dragged it to Brunswick,
spend hours parking and rigging, then spent a buncha time securing the
damaged equipment... And let me tell you, spending 8 hours in the Georgia
swampland (where else would you put a marina?) toting, lifting, pushing and
pulling will wring every drop of moisture out of you.
So... That was Friday. A killer.
I spent the weekend recovering. I got a straight rum and Coke IV drip...
Need to get my blood/alcohol back to normal. ;)
Monday- We had an early flight- Departed at 6:30. So... Up at 4:00. Out the
door at 4:30, Airport at 5:30...
The departure board says "Cancelled". Nice. Did I tell you I hate Delta? I
never fly Delta. Thanks Ben.
We get on standby for the 8:30a- gets us into LGA by 10:45, still enough
time to do our stuff...
No luck- we were 6 & 7 on the standby list- they took the first 5.
We reschedule for Tuesday- get reticketed and head back out of the airport-
Ben went to the kingfish tournament grounds on Hecksher Drive, I headed for
the office where I kept flogging the TMS Cup stuff (my Shanghai event).
The problem with the reschedule was the new flight was at 5:30AM, an hour
earlier, and was a transfer through ATL. (I HATE Delta. Just in case anyone
wonders...)
Hell... I didn't know that 5:30 came twice a day! Ok- Airport math... Be
there at 4:30, Leave the beach at 3:45? Geez!
OK- To sleep early.
We got to LGA at 10:15- Pick up bags, get the rental car... At that point we
had almost 6 hours on the clock.
We decide to pick up lunch then go to the site so we wouldn't have to leave
at lunchtime- We went to Mama's down in Corona. Oh. My. God.
A quintessential NY deli, with Mama herself holding court in one corner of
the store... A wonderful old-style deli. I'll get the details and put them
in the restaurant list soon.
A long story short- We tested 30 positions, found 2 bad connections,
corrected the wiring and finished up.
But let me tell you- I don't know which was worse- the Georgia swamp or
Flushing Meadows... The heat was insane!
And spending the entire day in the sun, running back and forth across a hot
tennis court... Well... I think it baked my brains. What little I have,
anyway.
So... Wednesday- We have a 7:50pm flight- I spend the day in the City-
Meeting with Dan-O, the boys from the NBA, and one of my sources from NBC...
A very enlightening trip. But Hot HOT HOT! The locations were all around
midtown, so it was easiest to walk... I really should have had everyone come
to the same place- just set up camp at Maxies at 48 & 7th and let them all
come to me... Next time I will know better.
Back to jax late that night- no adventures, except trying to get checked in-
I get the infamous 20 questions on the equipment in my bags... What is that,
why do you have it, what do you do for a living... I had no problems with
it-
They were all on alert because of the London Bombing...
No worries... Got back ok... BUt geez- did I tell you I hate Delta? Cause I
really, really do...
OK- Thurs & Fri- take care of last minute details for Shanghai- and get
ready for Saturday morning's departure (At 6:30am)
Ok...
On the plane again.
Seat not bad on Jax-Newark
Tiny plane, emergency row, so legroom was ok.
Breakfast at the Newark Airport was interesting.
Gallaghers Steakhouse on the new part of the C concourse serves breakfast...
I needed some meat in my stomach to get me going, to stoke the fire, so to
speak. Figures a steakhouse would have meat on the breakfast menu.
Their Roast Beef Hash is incredible. Pricey, but incerdible.
3 eggs over a huge pile of pan-fried cubed potatoes, ringed by a monster
serving of 1" chunks of roasted beef... So flavorful you didn't even need
any sauce for the dish, and only a dash of salt to make it perfect.
If you have a full hour to kill in the AM at Liberty Airport in Newark- try
Gallaghers for breakfast. The rest of them menu looked awsome as well.
EWR to PEK is a long flight... 13+ hours.
I'm into the 9th hour... The Ambien has worn off and I've done 12 of my
crossword puzzles, and I'm just killing time between walks back to the
galley for water. I have terrible cottonmouth... A side effect of the
Ambien?
What else...?
I need to write up the story about the 1999 trip to Tokyo... The one where I
gave to old Japanese man the heart attack. I'll work on that in my copious
free time.
Schedule... What's going on this week...
First- Get to ShangHai. (Somewhat easier said then done.)
2nd - Get to the Hotel (Which is hell-and-gone from the Airport.)
3rd - Staying at the Shanghia Mayfair hotel. From their Website seems like
it's a nice place. I'll reserve comment until I get my room.
4th - Inventory
5th? I don't know. It will be evening - Probably around 7 orr so before I
get there, so I don't know how I will feel. Can't take another Ambien, so
we'll have to see what happens.
Tomorrow will be Site Survey at the tennis center in Quizong, and a
pre-meeting with the equipment vendors. Tomorrow night I want to hit the
Bund and Nanjing Road. Again, everything is subject to change - Michael
might have other plans. Some folks from the ATP will be on-hand so there
might be some schmoozing.
(Hope they don't mind me schmoozing in shorts, sandals and a Hawiian print
shirt. According to the weather forecast, it is HOT HOT HOT!)
Oh well... Back to the crosswords, or whatever else takes my interest for
the next 3 hours.
I finally made it to Shanghai- Got to the Hotel at 7:30 PM- More than 24
hours of traveling... I feel like I've been beat with a hammer... We'll see
what tomorrow brings...
TBG Out-
Monday, July 11, 2005
Good news / Bad news
Gather around, kids...
Here's the news from LeMonde Gojira.
First-
Got an e-mail from Niki Ryan... The Dry Tortugas weathered the storm fairly well. They lost some trees, and got a solid 24 hours of rain...
There was 7000 gallons of rainwater collected in the cisterns, so there will be some toilet flushin' going on down there for the next week of so...
(No more "flush every third use" restrictions... Yay!)
The big news, the landbridge between Bush Key and Garden Key is gone!!!
HooHoo!!
Before Hurricane Dennis
The park is closed until Wednesday... (7-13) After that, back to business as usual!
Yes... Back in business until....
Don't put away the rain gear or the take down the shutters yet...
Hmmm... Let's see, what else...
NYC next week, Beijing and Shanghai after that.
That takes us through the end of July.
Then we start to get to the busy part of my schedule... heh.
Take care, kids...
TBG out-
Here's the news from LeMonde Gojira.
First-
Got an e-mail from Niki Ryan... The Dry Tortugas weathered the storm fairly well. They lost some trees, and got a solid 24 hours of rain...
There was 7000 gallons of rainwater collected in the cisterns, so there will be some toilet flushin' going on down there for the next week of so...
(No more "flush every third use" restrictions... Yay!)
The big news, the landbridge between Bush Key and Garden Key is gone!!!
HooHoo!!
Before Hurricane Dennis
The park is closed until Wednesday... (7-13) After that, back to business as usual!
Yes... Back in business until....
Don't put away the rain gear or the take down the shutters yet...
Hmmm... Let's see, what else...
NYC next week, Beijing and Shanghai after that.
That takes us through the end of July.
Then we start to get to the busy part of my schedule... heh.
Take care, kids...
TBG out-
Welcome to my world...
Have you ever had one of those days...?
Well... I'm having one of those months...
Friday, July 08, 2005
Here is wisdom: Have patience in Houston.
If you are going fly Continental Airlines in the southeast US in the summertime, you better have a flexible schedule and a sense of humor.
Anyone who has lived on the Gulf coast of the US knows what I'm talking about. It is the obligatory afternoon thunderstorms that come in off the Gulf... I don't care if you are in Tampa, Panama City, Pensacola, Mobile or Houston, or any other place along the coast, in the afternoon, you are going to get rained on.
And if you happen to be connecting with a flight in Houston, be prepared for a delay.
You have 2 choices- fly another airline that doesn't connect in Houston, or travel earlier in the day.
BUT, (the point of this message) if you do fly through Houston on a summer afternoon, and your flight is delayed, smile, grit your teeth, and DEAL WITH IT!!!
Don't take it out on the gate attendant... It's not their fault. And although they DO represent the airline, yelling and screaming at them or berating them is not going to make matters any better.
Case in point, Thursday PM in Houston- The stormfront was moving in, and I was on a flight from LA, connecting to Jacksonville. The pilot got us into IAH just under the wire. As we were landing, there was lightning all around us, and as we taxied to the terminal, the bottom fell out of the sky and the rain came down!! Serious rain, too... Last time it rained like that in Texas, Noah built hisself a boat.
It was no suprise to me that my 7:05 plane to Jax was listed as delayed- New time was 7:51. No big deal. I went to the bar.
I kept checking the time, and it kept betting pushed back... 8:20, 8:50, 9:30...
I finally paid out my tab and went back to the gate...
The gate attendant were the picture of calm and serenity. Yes, the plane was finally on it's way from Dallas, yes, we would definitetly be leaving tonight. No worries.
I sat in the gate area and watched people... Always one of my favorite pastimes in the airport.
So...
The next gate over, a flight to Charlotte which was also pushed back several times, was finally cancelled. They announced that the cancellation was due to weather, and they couldn't get a flight crew in that could work the flight. The crowd rushed the desk even before the gate attendant could finish here announcement.
By and large the crowd was OK, but it was interesting to watch how things progressed... The folks in the back of the line got more and more irritated as it became obvious that any open slots on the morning flights were being filled, and that they'd probably not get back to Charlotte as early as they'd like.
And they started to get vocal about it.
I wandered over to the Jax flight to ask about it's status... Wondering if we might be delayed because of a missing flight crew.
No... they re-assured me, the flight crew was sitting right there, and as soon as they had a plane at the gate, they would turn it and we would board and depart for Jax.
During this 3 minute discussion, I was able to witness two different altercations at the Charlotte flight where customers verbally abused the gate attendants because of the situation... It was not a pretty sight. And these poor ladies took the berating with silence and stoicism... it was amazing.
(I know if someone came at me like that in a situation where I had no control over events, that individual would have the pleasure of carrying his teeth in a paper bag on the way to the emergency room.)
These ladies took the abuse, continued to be helpful in the face of a very irate customer, and then shrugged it off and offered the next person in line a nice (if exhausted) smile and an offer to be of assistance.
Now, ya'll know me, I'm never one to let injustice go unpunished, but it was all I could do to keep from going over to the idiots at the desk as they were hassling the airline employees and making a forceful suggesting that they get a grip and quit their BS. In retrospect I'm glad I didn't... The ladies had the situation in hand, and were very capable of doing their job.
So... The word from Uncle Jay... Be nice to the gate attendants and ticket agents... Weather delays are not their fault. And since they control the ticketing computers, it is in your best interest to be nice to them... Unless you really want to go from Houston to Charlotte via Omaha.
Here endeth the lesson.
TBG out-
Anyone who has lived on the Gulf coast of the US knows what I'm talking about. It is the obligatory afternoon thunderstorms that come in off the Gulf... I don't care if you are in Tampa, Panama City, Pensacola, Mobile or Houston, or any other place along the coast, in the afternoon, you are going to get rained on.
And if you happen to be connecting with a flight in Houston, be prepared for a delay.
You have 2 choices- fly another airline that doesn't connect in Houston, or travel earlier in the day.
BUT, (the point of this message) if you do fly through Houston on a summer afternoon, and your flight is delayed, smile, grit your teeth, and DEAL WITH IT!!!
Don't take it out on the gate attendant... It's not their fault. And although they DO represent the airline, yelling and screaming at them or berating them is not going to make matters any better.
Case in point, Thursday PM in Houston- The stormfront was moving in, and I was on a flight from LA, connecting to Jacksonville. The pilot got us into IAH just under the wire. As we were landing, there was lightning all around us, and as we taxied to the terminal, the bottom fell out of the sky and the rain came down!! Serious rain, too... Last time it rained like that in Texas, Noah built hisself a boat.
It was no suprise to me that my 7:05 plane to Jax was listed as delayed- New time was 7:51. No big deal. I went to the bar.
I kept checking the time, and it kept betting pushed back... 8:20, 8:50, 9:30...
I finally paid out my tab and went back to the gate...
The gate attendant were the picture of calm and serenity. Yes, the plane was finally on it's way from Dallas, yes, we would definitetly be leaving tonight. No worries.
I sat in the gate area and watched people... Always one of my favorite pastimes in the airport.
So...
The next gate over, a flight to Charlotte which was also pushed back several times, was finally cancelled. They announced that the cancellation was due to weather, and they couldn't get a flight crew in that could work the flight. The crowd rushed the desk even before the gate attendant could finish here announcement.
By and large the crowd was OK, but it was interesting to watch how things progressed... The folks in the back of the line got more and more irritated as it became obvious that any open slots on the morning flights were being filled, and that they'd probably not get back to Charlotte as early as they'd like.
And they started to get vocal about it.
I wandered over to the Jax flight to ask about it's status... Wondering if we might be delayed because of a missing flight crew.
No... they re-assured me, the flight crew was sitting right there, and as soon as they had a plane at the gate, they would turn it and we would board and depart for Jax.
During this 3 minute discussion, I was able to witness two different altercations at the Charlotte flight where customers verbally abused the gate attendants because of the situation... It was not a pretty sight. And these poor ladies took the berating with silence and stoicism... it was amazing.
(I know if someone came at me like that in a situation where I had no control over events, that individual would have the pleasure of carrying his teeth in a paper bag on the way to the emergency room.)
These ladies took the abuse, continued to be helpful in the face of a very irate customer, and then shrugged it off and offered the next person in line a nice (if exhausted) smile and an offer to be of assistance.
Now, ya'll know me, I'm never one to let injustice go unpunished, but it was all I could do to keep from going over to the idiots at the desk as they were hassling the airline employees and making a forceful suggesting that they get a grip and quit their BS. In retrospect I'm glad I didn't... The ladies had the situation in hand, and were very capable of doing their job.
So... The word from Uncle Jay... Be nice to the gate attendants and ticket agents... Weather delays are not their fault. And since they control the ticketing computers, it is in your best interest to be nice to them... Unless you really want to go from Houston to Charlotte via Omaha.
Here endeth the lesson.
TBG out-
Thursday, July 07, 2005
On the road again...
Just a few things-
I got a note from Ranger Trep yesterday-
Hurrican Dennis is fixing to make life miserable down in the Dry Tortugas,
I just caught the 11:00 AM EDT advisory, and the path of the storm is
shifting more northerly now... It will pass just west of the islands...
I heard from Annie on the Yankee Freedom too... everyone is battening down
the hatches down there.
To all my friends down in the Keys... Y'all be safe...
Me... I'm in LA still. My flight is at 12:30 local... its 8:40 here now...
and I'm watching the news about the London bombing...
The security at the airport is going to be a bad, so I'm heading to the
airport now.
I'm going to wear clean underwear, because I know a TSA officer will be
shining a flashlight up my butt as I go through security.
Oh well... Hurricanes in Florida, Bombs in Europe, Wildfires here in
California...
Belize is looking better and better...
Take care everyone- be safe and keep an eye peeled for suspicious activity.
TBG out...
Monday, July 04, 2005
Fourth Jewel Lie
Been a busy weekend here...
I finally got an OK for some testing in LA, very last minute...
I got the approval for the testing on Friday afternoon, but didn't get the actual schedule until late Friday night EDT. I was hoping for later in the week- Thursday or Friday, in order to have time to prep the systems and to make sure I had all the resources I needed. Unfortunately, we will be doing our test on Wednesday, which means I leave Tuesday PM, Test on Wednesday AM/PM and fly back home on Thursday.
Oh well...
Let's see- What else...
I got the urge to cook this weekend. I wanted to grill or smoke something, but instead I wound up getting a pork shoulder and marinating it in Mojo Criollio... after (oven) cooking it for almost 6 hours it was fall-off-the-bone goodness... I made some Liquid Love(tm) out of the pan drippings. The resulting sauce was a touch on the salty side, but still really really good.
While that was in the oven, Hunter and I went up to the u-wash-it and washed Physalia... I now have a clean little car... She's so happy.
(The car, not Hunter. Hunter's ticked because she got hosed down during the rinse phase. Heh)
Being the Fourth of Jewel Lie there is an abundance of fireworks in the neighborhood.
Even though there is a new strict zero-tolerance policy in Jax Beach, it seems like everyone has something that flies or explodes (or both) on hand with which to fill the air.
Not me, though. My luck is such that if I had only one bottle rocket and I launched it, it would malfunction- heading straight for the local city council members house, fire chief's wife's car, police chief's youngest daughter, etc and destroy, kill or maim said entity. I have such bad run-ins with fate that I never risk such shenanigans... I've spent enought time in the Hoosegow that I won't willing take foolish chances.
Live and learn, or you won't live long.
Oh well... there's a nap out there that's not going to take itself...
Hasta la vista- baby.
TBG out-
I finally got an OK for some testing in LA, very last minute...
I got the approval for the testing on Friday afternoon, but didn't get the actual schedule until late Friday night EDT. I was hoping for later in the week- Thursday or Friday, in order to have time to prep the systems and to make sure I had all the resources I needed. Unfortunately, we will be doing our test on Wednesday, which means I leave Tuesday PM, Test on Wednesday AM/PM and fly back home on Thursday.
Oh well...
Let's see- What else...
I got the urge to cook this weekend. I wanted to grill or smoke something, but instead I wound up getting a pork shoulder and marinating it in Mojo Criollio... after (oven) cooking it for almost 6 hours it was fall-off-the-bone goodness... I made some Liquid Love(tm) out of the pan drippings. The resulting sauce was a touch on the salty side, but still really really good.
While that was in the oven, Hunter and I went up to the u-wash-it and washed Physalia... I now have a clean little car... She's so happy.
(The car, not Hunter. Hunter's ticked because she got hosed down during the rinse phase. Heh)
Being the Fourth of Jewel Lie there is an abundance of fireworks in the neighborhood.
Even though there is a new strict zero-tolerance policy in Jax Beach, it seems like everyone has something that flies or explodes (or both) on hand with which to fill the air.
Not me, though. My luck is such that if I had only one bottle rocket and I launched it, it would malfunction- heading straight for the local city council members house, fire chief's wife's car, police chief's youngest daughter, etc and destroy, kill or maim said entity. I have such bad run-ins with fate that I never risk such shenanigans... I've spent enought time in the Hoosegow that I won't willing take foolish chances.
Live and learn, or you won't live long.
Oh well... there's a nap out there that's not going to take itself...
Hasta la vista- baby.
TBG out-
Thursday, June 30, 2005
I hate waiting in &^%$#@ traffic.
Some people who read this steaming pile of refuse have probably seen this before; back before I was blogging I occasionally sent out what I referred to as "The Rant of the Week". It was a one or two paragraph of whatever that
had pissed me off that particular day... Sitting next to the bathroom on an airliner for 3 hours, incompetent waiters, Yankees, Southerners, Foreigners, Democrats, bueraucrats, technocrats, doormats, brickbats and muskrats. They all drive me nutz...
Anyway-
A while back I was irritated by the behavior of some drivers during
afternoon rush hour traffic... and yesterday it happened again, so I thought
I'd resurrect the text from the rant-of-the-week, dust it off and share it
with y'all. Again.
Enjoy.
Uncle Jay's Rant of the Week-
Y’know what really pisses me off…
It’s people who are making themselves feel good at my expense.
You people know who you are.
You are the do-gooders that stop and let a car or five that is waiting to
enter the stream of traffic in, holding up that long string behind you.
Guess what? If you idiots didn'’t do it, that long line of traffic would move a hell of a lot faster, and there probably wouldn’'t be a traffic tie-up.
Then those folks could get out of their parking lot or side street just fine.
But no, Miss Goodie-two-shoes thinks to herself, I'’ll just motion two or
three cars out of that parking lot, holding up the twenty people behind me.
It gives me a warm and happy feeling.
Honey- If we were standing in line at a bank and you did that, you’'d get to hold your teeth in your pocket during the trip to the emergency room. God help you if pull that crap while waiting to go on a ride at Disney World.
What makes you think you can get away with the crap on the highway?
And the ones that really make me wish for some changes in the laws concerning the possession and utilization of handguns in motor vehicles, the yahoos that hold up traffic for folks wanting to make the turn across the lane and head the other direction. They hold up traffic until a break coming the other way. Meanwhile, we could’'ve all gone through the traffic light by now, on our way to a happy and productive life. Instead, this happy asshole has held up all of us, missing the cycle of traffic lights. He feels better, doing his part for the planet. In the eight cars stacked up behind him, people are visualizing how he would look as the centerpiece of a funeral service.
Preferably closed-casket.
Drive the car, Jerkwad.
TBG out-
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
7 Deadly Sins
Let me check for just a second...
Greed... Yep.
Envy... Oh yeah.
Lust... Do you have to ask?
Gluttony... Again... It goes without saying.
Sloth... Wake me when the questions are over...
Pride... Uh huh. Just call me Figjam.
Wrath... So very and completely yes...
Ok... Got 'em all covered.
TBG out-
Correction- Dell Bug is a Hoax!
After a little more investigation, it seems that the Dell keyboard keylogger
device is a hoax.
Dell Bug/Keylogger
By the way- if you ever have questions about anything that you might suspect
might be an urban legend or hoax, I highly suggest you visit Snopes.com
Snopes.com
These people have the low-down on everything and everyone...
Check it out!
Sorry about the false alarm...
TBG out-
Monday, June 27, 2005
Miscellaneous Stuff for this week...
Hi Kids... I have a couple things speak about today; nothing Earth-shattering, but a couple things that are interesting...
First, (and most distressing), the absolute BEST restaurant in New Orleans may be closed/closing. Uglesich's Restraurant, which has been around since 1924 is currently closed for the summer. This is normal, but there have been several articles written earlier this year that have alluded to the permanent closing of this fine establishment.
Pete Oliver introduced me to this little slice of heaven years ago...
Uglesich's is/was located at the corner of Erato & Barrone... Not exactly
what you would call a nice area of town...
As a matter of fact, when we (TWWKMT and I) went there about 11 years ago, we jumped a taxi at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. I told the driver that we wanted to go to Uglesich's... He had no idea what I was talking about. It told him never mind... I want to go to the corner of Erato and Baronne...
"Hey Man... you don' wanna go dere... That ain't no tourist place..." he says.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Dat dere is de' Projects. It ain't safe... Even for a big guy like you. And I cain't believe you takin' your lady there."
"Look... Just take us there. It's cool."
"Well... You de boss. But I'm tellin' you, you gonna want me to take you to someplace else when we get dere."
We went anyway... At that time it wasn't quite so well known. There was no line stretching down the block like there has been in the last 6 or 7 years.
We left the taxi and the driver watched us as we went in the tiny restaurant, shaking his head, sure we were going to be killed, skinned & roasted for dinner...
We spent nearly 2 hours there, sampling the amazing food that Mr. Anthony and his wonderful spouse Gail make. We had the Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp and Remoulade, we had Angry Shrimp, we tasted the oyster shooter, and had a shrimp po-boy. The Bar-B-Que oysters and other specialties were all amazing. We washed it all down with tall cold bottles of Chimay beer... Ambrosia!
Mr. Anthony is a prince among men. He tolerated us (Pete, Carl, Elton, Tom & myself) during a drunken trip to LSU for a football game once- An occasion where we roared into the restaurant and terrorized the patrons and scared the tar out of Gail as we tried to order everything on the menu. We had been drinking for hours when we decided we were hungry and headed to the Restaurant. To make a very long, ugly story short- a $300 dollar lunch that went half uneaten because of a simulated bar fight that showered broken glass over all our food; Carl's forehead was sliced open, and Pete nearly fell into the urinal in the bathroom then went outside to perform the vaunted Helicopter Vomit, a triple-snap-in-Z-formation performance if there was ever was one. And to cap it all off... it was all caught on videotape.
Ain't nothing like seeing yourself at your absolute worst... Good times,
good times.
It's not definite yet; Mr. Anthony has not said that this is the end, although he has been saying he wants to retire from the strenuous grind he and Gail have been under... He has alluded to the fact then he would like to open with a much smaller operation... Maybe a more limited menu, just appetizers and finger food... Only time will tell.
Let's hope that come fall we will see the little place on the corner of Erato and Barrone open it's doors again and we'll see Mr. Anthony, rested and refreshed, once again serving those little slices of heaven from his kitchen.
------------
I have recently been introduced to a new puzzle rage... Sudoku.
Check it out here... If you are a crossword fan looking for a challenge, or a cryptographer looking to refine your number theory, you need to check out Sudoku...
------------
I'm a little concerned about this... Dell keylogger. Why has the Department of Homeland Security installed a keylogger in your laptop?
------------
Does anyone have a 41' Morgan Out Islander for sale at a reasonable price out there? Let me know.
------------
All right kids... Get to work. TBG out-
First, (and most distressing), the absolute BEST restaurant in New Orleans may be closed/closing. Uglesich's Restraurant, which has been around since 1924 is currently closed for the summer. This is normal, but there have been several articles written earlier this year that have alluded to the permanent closing of this fine establishment.
Pete Oliver introduced me to this little slice of heaven years ago...
Uglesich's is/was located at the corner of Erato & Barrone... Not exactly
what you would call a nice area of town...
As a matter of fact, when we (TWWKMT and I) went there about 11 years ago, we jumped a taxi at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. I told the driver that we wanted to go to Uglesich's... He had no idea what I was talking about. It told him never mind... I want to go to the corner of Erato and Baronne...
"Hey Man... you don' wanna go dere... That ain't no tourist place..." he says.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Dat dere is de' Projects. It ain't safe... Even for a big guy like you. And I cain't believe you takin' your lady there."
"Look... Just take us there. It's cool."
"Well... You de boss. But I'm tellin' you, you gonna want me to take you to someplace else when we get dere."
We went anyway... At that time it wasn't quite so well known. There was no line stretching down the block like there has been in the last 6 or 7 years.
We left the taxi and the driver watched us as we went in the tiny restaurant, shaking his head, sure we were going to be killed, skinned & roasted for dinner...
We spent nearly 2 hours there, sampling the amazing food that Mr. Anthony and his wonderful spouse Gail make. We had the Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp and Remoulade, we had Angry Shrimp, we tasted the oyster shooter, and had a shrimp po-boy. The Bar-B-Que oysters and other specialties were all amazing. We washed it all down with tall cold bottles of Chimay beer... Ambrosia!
Mr. Anthony is a prince among men. He tolerated us (Pete, Carl, Elton, Tom & myself) during a drunken trip to LSU for a football game once- An occasion where we roared into the restaurant and terrorized the patrons and scared the tar out of Gail as we tried to order everything on the menu. We had been drinking for hours when we decided we were hungry and headed to the Restaurant. To make a very long, ugly story short- a $300 dollar lunch that went half uneaten because of a simulated bar fight that showered broken glass over all our food; Carl's forehead was sliced open, and Pete nearly fell into the urinal in the bathroom then went outside to perform the vaunted Helicopter Vomit, a triple-snap-in-Z-formation performance if there was ever was one. And to cap it all off... it was all caught on videotape.
Ain't nothing like seeing yourself at your absolute worst... Good times,
good times.
It's not definite yet; Mr. Anthony has not said that this is the end, although he has been saying he wants to retire from the strenuous grind he and Gail have been under... He has alluded to the fact then he would like to open with a much smaller operation... Maybe a more limited menu, just appetizers and finger food... Only time will tell.
Let's hope that come fall we will see the little place on the corner of Erato and Barrone open it's doors again and we'll see Mr. Anthony, rested and refreshed, once again serving those little slices of heaven from his kitchen.
------------
I have recently been introduced to a new puzzle rage... Sudoku.
Check it out here... If you are a crossword fan looking for a challenge, or a cryptographer looking to refine your number theory, you need to check out Sudoku...
------------
I'm a little concerned about this... Dell keylogger. Why has the Department of Homeland Security installed a keylogger in your laptop?
------------
Does anyone have a 41' Morgan Out Islander for sale at a reasonable price out there? Let me know.
------------
All right kids... Get to work. TBG out-
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
The Blues
What is wrong with snot-nosed, left wing, left coast, pinko-commie Californians?
You can beat them over the head with the truth and they will still expound
(at length, and with gusto) their misguided and ingorant position on a
particular subject without any thought that they might be mistaken.
To wit: The Idiot at Fry's Electronics in Anaheim...
On the overhead music in the store someone had put on a blues album...
Really excellent, I might add.
Some instrumental blues- great slide guitar... real tasty stuff. Well... I'm standing in the hardware section looking at various crap (of which they have TONS at Frys) and I hear this idiot comment on the music overhead and how he just loves the blues... Can't get enough of it, etc.
A song comes on that I just happen to know (odd 'cause I don't have a real
deep knowledge of blues, but I do know this one...)- John Mayall's "Catch that Train" which has an awsome harmonica riff at the beginning that starts like a train leaving the station then segues into a fast harp shuffle.
Idjit boy starts to say how John PRINE is the penultimate blues musician of the last 20 years and this tune is a signature piece of Prine's.
Now, I'm not one to correct someone, but as he was expounding for another person's edification, I felt that he needed to at least give accurate information about the subject. I thought he had just gotten the last name wrong (which he had) and would do the old head-slap and say "that's right, John Mayall..." but in retrospect I should have just shut up because this loser was a nightmare with a short fuse...
"Um..." I said, sotto voce "I think you mean John Mayall. John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. From England."
BluesBoy looked at me like I had just slapped his grandmother.
"Excuse me, sir"...he said, voice dripping with sarcasm and ridicule "That is John Prine. I KNOW my blues! And no Englishman can ever hope to play the blues... It is a physical impossibility!" I never said another word as this bonehead went on a 5 minute tirade about the qualifications to sing the blues and how it was purely an American strain of music, and that no one outside the Mississippi Valley could possibly have the genetic makeup to play The Blues.
The guy he was talking to at one point rolled his eyes back into his head when the Blues Expert wasn't looking, and I nearly blew a blood vessel trying not to laugh out loud.
Don't get me wrong- There are specific qualifications for singing the Blues-
but it has nothing to do with geography. Mayall, Clapton and the boys from England in the late 60's did some awesome stuff...
Women will do you wrong in Paris or Australia, just as they do down in New Orleans...
But it is kind of hard to riff about hard times on the Champs-Elysées or how bad you feel 'cause a truck ran over your wallaby.
My cell phone rang during his oratory, and I politely moved off to take my call in peace...
Upon checkout, they had a display of music CDs for sale, including one the one that was playing... and it was Mayall's "Catch that Train"... and there wasn't anything by John Prine on the CD at all... I really wanted to take the disc and find the jerk and just hand it to him and walk away... but alas, I just left the store with a nasty little smirk on my face... I was right. For once.
(It happens so infrequently that I am very amused when it occurs.)
It might be interesting to discuss the some of the rules for Singing the
Blues...
1. Most blues begin "woke up this morning."
2. "I got a good woman" is a bad way to begin the blues, unless you stick
something nasty in the next line:
I got a good woman with the meanest dog in town.
3. Blues are simple. After you have the first line right, repeat it. Then find something that rhymes. Sort of:
Got a good woman
with the meanest dog in town.
He got teeth like Margaret Thatcher
and he weighs about 500 pounds.
4. The blues are not about limitless choice.
5. Blues cars are Chevies and Cadillacs. Other acceptable blues transportation is Greyhound bus or a southbound train. Walkin' plays a major part in the blues lifestyle. So does fixin' to die.
6. Teenagers can't sing the blues. Adults sing the blues. Blues adulthood means old enough to get the electric chair if you shoot a man in Memphis.
7. You can have the blues in New York City, but not in Brooklyn or Queens. Hard times in Vermont or North Dakota are just a depression. Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City are still the best places to have the blues.
8. The following colors do not belong in the blues:
a. violet
b. beige
c. mauve
d. teal
9. You can't have the blues in an office or a shopping mall; the lighting is wrong.
10. Good places for the Blues:
a. the highway
b. the jailhouse
c. the empty bed
Bad places:
a. Ashrams
b. Gallery openings
c. weekend in the Hamptons
11. No one will believe it's the blues if you wear a suit, unless you happen to be an old black man.
12. Do you have the right to sing the blues?
Yes, if:
a. your first name is a southern state like Georgia
b. you're blind
c. you shot a man in Memphis.
d. you can't be satisfied.
No, if:
a. you were once blind but now can see.
b. you're deaf
c. you have a trust fund.
13. Neither Julio Iglesias nor Barbra Streisand can sing the blues.
14. If you ask for water and baby gives you gasoline, it's the blues. Other blues beverages are:
a. wine
b. Irish whiskey
c. muddy water
Blues beverages are NOT:
a. Any mixed drink
b. Any wine kosher for Passover
c. Yoo Hoo (all flavors)
15. If it occurs in a cheap motel or a shotgun shack, it's blues death. Stabbed in the back by a jealous lover is a blues way to die. So is the electric chair, substance abuse, or being denied treatment in an emergency room.
It is not a blues death, if you die during a liposuction treatment.
16. Some Blues names for Women:
a. Sadie
b. Big Mama
c. Bessie
17. Some Blues Names for Men:
a. Joe
b. Willie
c. Little Willie
d. Lightning
Persons with names like Sierra or Sequoia will not be permitted to sing the blues no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis.
18. Other Blues Names (Starter Kit):
a. Name of Physical infirmity (Blind, Cripple, Asthmatic)
b. First name (see above) or name of fruit (Lemon, Lime, Kiwi)
c. Last Name of President (Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, etc.)
Mix and Match
TBG (Tuberculosis Boysenberry Garfield) out-
You can beat them over the head with the truth and they will still expound
(at length, and with gusto) their misguided and ingorant position on a
particular subject without any thought that they might be mistaken.
To wit: The Idiot at Fry's Electronics in Anaheim...
On the overhead music in the store someone had put on a blues album...
Really excellent, I might add.
Some instrumental blues- great slide guitar... real tasty stuff. Well... I'm standing in the hardware section looking at various crap (of which they have TONS at Frys) and I hear this idiot comment on the music overhead and how he just loves the blues... Can't get enough of it, etc.
A song comes on that I just happen to know (odd 'cause I don't have a real
deep knowledge of blues, but I do know this one...)- John Mayall's "Catch that Train" which has an awsome harmonica riff at the beginning that starts like a train leaving the station then segues into a fast harp shuffle.
Idjit boy starts to say how John PRINE is the penultimate blues musician of the last 20 years and this tune is a signature piece of Prine's.
Now, I'm not one to correct someone, but as he was expounding for another person's edification, I felt that he needed to at least give accurate information about the subject. I thought he had just gotten the last name wrong (which he had) and would do the old head-slap and say "that's right, John Mayall..." but in retrospect I should have just shut up because this loser was a nightmare with a short fuse...
"Um..." I said, sotto voce "I think you mean John Mayall. John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. From England."
BluesBoy looked at me like I had just slapped his grandmother.
"Excuse me, sir"...he said, voice dripping with sarcasm and ridicule "That is John Prine. I KNOW my blues! And no Englishman can ever hope to play the blues... It is a physical impossibility!" I never said another word as this bonehead went on a 5 minute tirade about the qualifications to sing the blues and how it was purely an American strain of music, and that no one outside the Mississippi Valley could possibly have the genetic makeup to play The Blues.
The guy he was talking to at one point rolled his eyes back into his head when the Blues Expert wasn't looking, and I nearly blew a blood vessel trying not to laugh out loud.
Don't get me wrong- There are specific qualifications for singing the Blues-
but it has nothing to do with geography. Mayall, Clapton and the boys from England in the late 60's did some awesome stuff...
Women will do you wrong in Paris or Australia, just as they do down in New Orleans...
But it is kind of hard to riff about hard times on the Champs-Elysées or how bad you feel 'cause a truck ran over your wallaby.
My cell phone rang during his oratory, and I politely moved off to take my call in peace...
Upon checkout, they had a display of music CDs for sale, including one the one that was playing... and it was Mayall's "Catch that Train"... and there wasn't anything by John Prine on the CD at all... I really wanted to take the disc and find the jerk and just hand it to him and walk away... but alas, I just left the store with a nasty little smirk on my face... I was right. For once.
(It happens so infrequently that I am very amused when it occurs.)
It might be interesting to discuss the some of the rules for Singing the
Blues...
1. Most blues begin "woke up this morning."
2. "I got a good woman" is a bad way to begin the blues, unless you stick
something nasty in the next line:
I got a good woman with the meanest dog in town.
3. Blues are simple. After you have the first line right, repeat it. Then find something that rhymes. Sort of:
Got a good woman
with the meanest dog in town.
He got teeth like Margaret Thatcher
and he weighs about 500 pounds.
4. The blues are not about limitless choice.
5. Blues cars are Chevies and Cadillacs. Other acceptable blues transportation is Greyhound bus or a southbound train. Walkin' plays a major part in the blues lifestyle. So does fixin' to die.
6. Teenagers can't sing the blues. Adults sing the blues. Blues adulthood means old enough to get the electric chair if you shoot a man in Memphis.
7. You can have the blues in New York City, but not in Brooklyn or Queens. Hard times in Vermont or North Dakota are just a depression. Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City are still the best places to have the blues.
8. The following colors do not belong in the blues:
a. violet
b. beige
c. mauve
d. teal
9. You can't have the blues in an office or a shopping mall; the lighting is wrong.
10. Good places for the Blues:
a. the highway
b. the jailhouse
c. the empty bed
Bad places:
a. Ashrams
b. Gallery openings
c. weekend in the Hamptons
11. No one will believe it's the blues if you wear a suit, unless you happen to be an old black man.
12. Do you have the right to sing the blues?
Yes, if:
a. your first name is a southern state like Georgia
b. you're blind
c. you shot a man in Memphis.
d. you can't be satisfied.
No, if:
a. you were once blind but now can see.
b. you're deaf
c. you have a trust fund.
13. Neither Julio Iglesias nor Barbra Streisand can sing the blues.
14. If you ask for water and baby gives you gasoline, it's the blues. Other blues beverages are:
a. wine
b. Irish whiskey
c. muddy water
Blues beverages are NOT:
a. Any mixed drink
b. Any wine kosher for Passover
c. Yoo Hoo (all flavors)
15. If it occurs in a cheap motel or a shotgun shack, it's blues death. Stabbed in the back by a jealous lover is a blues way to die. So is the electric chair, substance abuse, or being denied treatment in an emergency room.
It is not a blues death, if you die during a liposuction treatment.
16. Some Blues names for Women:
a. Sadie
b. Big Mama
c. Bessie
17. Some Blues Names for Men:
a. Joe
b. Willie
c. Little Willie
d. Lightning
Persons with names like Sierra or Sequoia will not be permitted to sing the blues no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis.
18. Other Blues Names (Starter Kit):
a. Name of Physical infirmity (Blind, Cripple, Asthmatic)
b. First name (see above) or name of fruit (Lemon, Lime, Kiwi)
c. Last Name of President (Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, etc.)
Mix and Match
TBG (Tuberculosis Boysenberry Garfield) out-
Misc BS...
Recognize the psychos....
http://www.malevole.com/mv/misc/killerquiz/
I got 9 out of 10... It takes one to know one... Heh.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
A blast from the past...
I used to read this little jewel back when it was originally
serialized in Heavy Metal magazine back in the late 70's...
The detailed line art is amazing...
Some among us would consider this
Not Safe For Work... You have been warned.
serialized in Heavy Metal magazine back in the late 70's...
The detailed line art is amazing...
Some among us would consider this
Not Safe For Work... You have been warned.
Something new I've been listening to...
Hi y'all-
I have recently had the pleasure of acquiring a satellite radio.
Wow. That is all I can say. Wow.
I got it just before I went on a cross country trip... Jax to LA and back.
From previous experience, I was looking for an alternative to chasing radio stations or carrying a stack of CDs or MP3s. I picked up an Audiovox portable unit and hit the road. I set up the service via phone as I got on the road... I got it set up in about 10 minutes. Activation was a snap. (Portable is relative. It is not a Walkman-style unit, it is portable in that you can move it easily from auto to auto. The walkman style is considerable more expensive. Evaluate your needs and make your own choices.)
I got service with XM Radio, but there is also Sirius... You need to do some research to see which one will give your favorite features, but with some notable exceptions they are very similar. There are channels for every imaginable music taste. Swing, 70s, 80s, 90s, Pop, Reggae, World Beat, Urban, Jazz... the list goes on. They also have tons of talk, sports, entertainment, and other non-music selections.
Sirius has exclusives on Howard Stern and Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville for instance, and XM has Opie & Anthony and all Major League Baseball games. Check out their websites to see all the features.
They are not fettered by alot of the FCC regulations, so quite a few of the channels are uncensored... Some of the urban music channels, the comedy channels and of course Stern and O&A have some pretty raw language. Now, they also have some more family friendly versions of the uncensored channels, but not for the headliners, so watch out if you want to listen to the Shock Jocks with the kids in the car...
For me. I spend a lot of time listening to the uncensored comedy channel, 70s and 80s music channels, Sonic Theater, and the Audio Classics- the old radio classics like The Shadow, Twilight Zone and The Lone Ranger. Cool Stuff.
When Hunter gets in the car she flips to the Top 20 channel, Soundtrax, and On Broadway. There is something for everyone...
After listening for a couple months, I have seen the end of broadcast radio...
Even though there is some commercial content, it is nothing compared to the 25 or more minutes of commercials you get with every hour of morning drive time on regular radio...
Check out satellite radio. You will love it.
TBG out-
I have recently had the pleasure of acquiring a satellite radio.
Wow. That is all I can say. Wow.
I got it just before I went on a cross country trip... Jax to LA and back.
From previous experience, I was looking for an alternative to chasing radio stations or carrying a stack of CDs or MP3s. I picked up an Audiovox portable unit and hit the road. I set up the service via phone as I got on the road... I got it set up in about 10 minutes. Activation was a snap. (Portable is relative. It is not a Walkman-style unit, it is portable in that you can move it easily from auto to auto. The walkman style is considerable more expensive. Evaluate your needs and make your own choices.)
I got service with XM Radio, but there is also Sirius... You need to do some research to see which one will give your favorite features, but with some notable exceptions they are very similar. There are channels for every imaginable music taste. Swing, 70s, 80s, 90s, Pop, Reggae, World Beat, Urban, Jazz... the list goes on. They also have tons of talk, sports, entertainment, and other non-music selections.
Sirius has exclusives on Howard Stern and Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville for instance, and XM has Opie & Anthony and all Major League Baseball games. Check out their websites to see all the features.
They are not fettered by alot of the FCC regulations, so quite a few of the channels are uncensored... Some of the urban music channels, the comedy channels and of course Stern and O&A have some pretty raw language. Now, they also have some more family friendly versions of the uncensored channels, but not for the headliners, so watch out if you want to listen to the Shock Jocks with the kids in the car...
For me. I spend a lot of time listening to the uncensored comedy channel, 70s and 80s music channels, Sonic Theater, and the Audio Classics- the old radio classics like The Shadow, Twilight Zone and The Lone Ranger. Cool Stuff.
When Hunter gets in the car she flips to the Top 20 channel, Soundtrax, and On Broadway. There is something for everyone...
After listening for a couple months, I have seen the end of broadcast radio...
Even though there is some commercial content, it is nothing compared to the 25 or more minutes of commercials you get with every hour of morning drive time on regular radio...
Check out satellite radio. You will love it.
TBG out-
International Rules For Men.
(Stolen from a post by somebody, somewhere...)
- Under no circumstances may two men share an umbrella, unless at the footy, and your pies are getting wet, then for the eating period only it is permissible.
- It is ok for a man to cry under the following circumstances:
- When a heroic dog dies to save its master.
- The moment Angelina Jolie starts unbuttoning her blouse.
- After wrecking your boss' car.
- One hour, 12 minutes, 37 seconds into "The Crying Game".
- When she is using her teeth.
- Any Man who brings a camera to a stag night may be legally killed and eaten by his mates.
- Unless he murdered someone in your family, you must bail a friend out of jail within 12 hours.
- If you've known a bloke for more than 24 hours, his sister is off limits forever, unless you actually marry her.
- Moaning about the brand of free beer in a mate's fridge is forbidden. However, complain at will if the temperature is unsuitable.
- No man shall ever be required to buy a birthday present for another man. In fact, even remembering your mate's birthday is strictly optional.
- On a road trip, the strongest bladder determines pit stops, not the weakest.
- When stumbling upon other blokes watching a sporting event, you may ask the score of the game in progress, but you may never ask who's playing.
- You may flatulate in front of a woman only after you have brought her to climax. If you trap her head under the covers for the purpose of flatulent entertainment, she's officially your girlfriend.
- It is permissible to quaff a fruity alcopop drink only when you're sunning on a tropical beach... and it's delivered by a topless supermodel... and it's free.
- Only in situations of moral and/or physical peril are you allowed to kick another bloke in the nuts.
- Unless you're in prison, never fight naked.
- Friends don't let friends wear Speedos. Ever. Issue closed.
- If a man's fly is down, that's his problem, you didn't see anything.
- Women who claim they "love to watch sports" must be treated as spies until they demonstrate knowledge of the game (can explain offside or LBW) and the ability to drink as much as the other sports watchers.
- A man in the company of a hot, suggestively dressed woman must remain sober enough to fight.
- Never hesitate to reach for the last beer or the last slice of pizza, but not both, that's just greedy.
- If you compliment a bloke on his six-pack, you'd better be talking about his choice of beer.
- Never join your girlfriend or wife in discussing a mate of yours except if she's withholding s*x pending your response.
- Phrases that may NOT be uttered to another man while lifting weights:
- Yeah, Baby, Push it!
- C'mon, give me one more! Harder!
- Another set and we can hit the showers!
- Never talk to a man in a bathroom unless you are on equal footing: i.e. both urinating, both waiting in line, etc. For all other situations, an almost imperceptible nod is all the conversation you need.
- Never allow a telephone conversation with a woman to go on longer than you are able to have sex with her. Keep a stopwatch by the phone. Hang up if necessary.
- The morning after you and a girl who was formerly "just a friend" have had drunken s*x, the fact that you're feeling weird and guilty is no reason for you not to nail each other again before the discussion about what a big mistake it was occurs.
- It is acceptable for you to drive her car. It is not acceptable for her to drive yours.
- Thou shalt not buy a car in the colours of brown, pink, lime green, orange or sky blue.
- The girl who replies to the question "What do you want for Christmas?" with "If you loved me,you'd know what I want!" gets an Xbox. End of story.
- There is no reason for guys to watch Ice Skating or Men's Gymnastics. Ever
Monday, June 20, 2005
I made it, but man....
...this time the problem wasn't the TSA, it was other passengers.
On the first flight, I didn't have booked seats, so I wound up in the back of the plane...
Thanks April...
So, it seems like the entire plane is filled with the congregations of several AME churches from downtown Jacksonville... Older black folks who don't travel too often, and have no idea how to pack, what to carry on, etc.
I spent the entire time on the plane being the personal butler for all the old ladies around me...
"Baby, could you help me put my bag away... I can't lift it." she says, indicating a 200 lb bag that has absolutely NO chance of fitting in the overhead bin.
"Would you be a darlin' and help me get my bag down, I needs to get my medicine. Thank you baby."
These folks were nice as the day is long, but man... I've had enough big butts waved in my face today... Add to that their propensity for wearing WAAAAY too much bad perfume...
Oh. My. God.
The second leg of the flight... Houston to Ontario...
I had an Indian couple and thier screaming child sitting next to me. I want to be fair about it... The child didn't scream the entire time, there was a good hour that the child only yelled at the top of it's lungs... I think I'm deaf in my left ear now.
Made me wish for a roll of duct tape. I swear, if I had some I'd have used it.
No lie.
So... I'm in the OC... Big fat hairy deal.
Film at 11.
On the first flight, I didn't have booked seats, so I wound up in the back of the plane...
Thanks April...
So, it seems like the entire plane is filled with the congregations of several AME churches from downtown Jacksonville... Older black folks who don't travel too often, and have no idea how to pack, what to carry on, etc.
I spent the entire time on the plane being the personal butler for all the old ladies around me...
"Baby, could you help me put my bag away... I can't lift it." she says, indicating a 200 lb bag that has absolutely NO chance of fitting in the overhead bin.
"Would you be a darlin' and help me get my bag down, I needs to get my medicine. Thank you baby."
These folks were nice as the day is long, but man... I've had enough big butts waved in my face today... Add to that their propensity for wearing WAAAAY too much bad perfume...
Oh. My. God.
The second leg of the flight... Houston to Ontario...
I had an Indian couple and thier screaming child sitting next to me. I want to be fair about it... The child didn't scream the entire time, there was a good hour that the child only yelled at the top of it's lungs... I think I'm deaf in my left ear now.
Made me wish for a roll of duct tape. I swear, if I had some I'd have used it.
No lie.
So... I'm in the OC... Big fat hairy deal.
Film at 11.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Once more. into the breach...
So I'm off to LA in th AM. I love going to LA. NOT.
Don't get me wrong... LA is nice, and some of the people out there are wonderful, but I hate GOING there.
It is dealing with the airports, airlines, and sitting for several hours in a seat with very little leg room that just kills me.
First- lets deal with Airport Math.
Flight is at 7:20AM
They want you there 1 hour before the flight, so I need to arrive at the airport by 6:20.
Now, on the average, it takes me 15 minutes to park my car and get the shuttle to the terminal, so that means I have to arrive at the parking lot by 6:05.
Ok... (This is getting ugly.)
So... it is 26.5 miles to JIA from the Humble Abode... It takes about 40 minutes on average. Early morning is a little less, but we can't count on it, so... I have to LEAVE the house by 5:25. AM.
Alrighty then. If I set the clock for 5:00AM, and don't hit snooze, I hit the shower, dress and throw my stuff in Physalia, I should be OK.
No margin for error, though.
I'll set the clock for 4:45.
I hope I can sleep on the plane...
Second- The TSA.
Idiots. Every one of them.
I swear to God.
They wouldn't know a weapon if it jumped up out of a bag and bit them on the nose.
And the whole concept of improvised weapons is lost on the people at Homeland Security. The circus that is the mag and bag at 99% of the airports in the US is an unbelievable joke.
Thrown in a bearded lady, and organ grinder and his monkey and a couple spotlights, and you could take that show on the road... Quite a few of the TSA personnel can pass as the animals (elephants, camels, sloths, etc) and the rest can all tumble out of a small car wearing face paint and their uniforms. They are a bunch of clowns.
Don't agree with me? That's fine. It MY OPINION, and you are entitled to yours.
The fact that there are so many levels of "inspection" at the airport is a big indicator that the entire system doesn't work...
Look, it you have to subject "random" people to more intense scrutiny, that is a tacit affirmation that the mag and bag doesn't work. And if it doesn't work, then why do it? Just accept it and pat everyone down if that is what it takes. But don't blow smoke up my ass and tell me that the all-powerful xray machine and metal detector are going to adequately safeguard the air traveling public, but let's choose random people to be checked a little better...
And the process of printing a "SSS" on the ticket of someone who purchased their ticket in the last 24 hours...
I hate to tell you, Dept of Homeland Security... You have to hide your procedures better than that...The second you implement a visual cue on the tickets, then issue a memo to all and sundry, the Bad Guys know about it and can make plans to thwart it...
And the shoe thing... Give me a break, please.
Yeah... someone getting on a plane wearing a business suit and 4-inch clogs, yeah... better check it.
But when I go through security wearing flip flops, but you STILL make me take them off and run them through the xray? Please. Get a clue.
Hey. Homeland Security... Take a handful of twentys from the piles of money that your are stealing from other more deserving government programs and go BUY YOURSELF A CLUE!!!
So... I'm off to LA. Corona, actually.
Wish me luck at the airport.
TBG out.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Back to the Real World
Wednesday was hecitc...
We finished up orientation with the Donnelly's... the new Garden Key Host couple. Nice folks...
We got an early start, meeting to show them the morning routines on the island, cleanup, maintenance, etc. We all took a break at 9:00am to get cleaned up before the ferries arrived- then met back on the dock for the arrival of Sunny Days and the Yankee Freedom.
We had campers, so I got to do my last orientation spiel- "Don't hang stuff in the trees, stay out of the moat, keep you nose clean, and keep your hands to yourself."
I still had to get all my pictures to Mike Ryan, repack bags, get a shower, get Hunter organized, and get all our stuff to the boat... Egads, what a nightmare.
Right in the middle of all this, I had to help Brion get the Whaler and the Mako situated on the beach; I took the forklift and used it to move the boats, then position it for offloading the gasoline tanks that the Coast Guard would be delivering after the Ferries departed....
Well... We made it to the boat in time to leave the Tortugas. We were a little bummed, but ready to get back to the real world...
It was a bit rushed, but I think we did get everything handled ok.
Everyone was down on the dock to see us off; Mike, Niki, Willie & Brion...
Trep and Danica were at Everglades doing range time and would be back on Thursday, so we'll see them next time.
The boat ride was uneventful, thank Ghod. And I got a ride (Thx Ross Hunter!) over to the Coast Guard base to pick up Physalia, so that was a winning situation... it would have been a long hot walk...
We hit the Meteor Smokehouse on Southard St for dinner, then hauled ass for Jax.
I had to pull over for naps twice, and hit Jax Beach at 5:30am...
No sleep yet... If I go to sleep now, I will be awake all night and get out of phase, so I'll tough it out through the day and really sleep well tonight.
I'm in the office today, detailing for my trip to LA on Monday...
Polly just delivered the Duets for the test at Screenworks, so we are ready to go!
I'm outta here... Chinese for dinner tonight!
TBG out-
We finished up orientation with the Donnelly's... the new Garden Key Host couple. Nice folks...
We got an early start, meeting to show them the morning routines on the island, cleanup, maintenance, etc. We all took a break at 9:00am to get cleaned up before the ferries arrived- then met back on the dock for the arrival of Sunny Days and the Yankee Freedom.
We had campers, so I got to do my last orientation spiel- "Don't hang stuff in the trees, stay out of the moat, keep you nose clean, and keep your hands to yourself."
I still had to get all my pictures to Mike Ryan, repack bags, get a shower, get Hunter organized, and get all our stuff to the boat... Egads, what a nightmare.
Right in the middle of all this, I had to help Brion get the Whaler and the Mako situated on the beach; I took the forklift and used it to move the boats, then position it for offloading the gasoline tanks that the Coast Guard would be delivering after the Ferries departed....
Well... We made it to the boat in time to leave the Tortugas. We were a little bummed, but ready to get back to the real world...
It was a bit rushed, but I think we did get everything handled ok.
Everyone was down on the dock to see us off; Mike, Niki, Willie & Brion...
Trep and Danica were at Everglades doing range time and would be back on Thursday, so we'll see them next time.
The boat ride was uneventful, thank Ghod. And I got a ride (Thx Ross Hunter!) over to the Coast Guard base to pick up Physalia, so that was a winning situation... it would have been a long hot walk...
We hit the Meteor Smokehouse on Southard St for dinner, then hauled ass for Jax.
I had to pull over for naps twice, and hit Jax Beach at 5:30am...
No sleep yet... If I go to sleep now, I will be awake all night and get out of phase, so I'll tough it out through the day and really sleep well tonight.
I'm in the office today, detailing for my trip to LA on Monday...
Polly just delivered the Duets for the test at Screenworks, so we are ready to go!
I'm outta here... Chinese for dinner tonight!
TBG out-
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Holy Crap!
Geez- What an insane couple days!!
What is today... Tuesday? Wow. I has just been crazy out here...
It was back to business as usual here on Sunday and Monday... Weather was beautiful. Nice warm breeze out of the south. It was very nice. Sunday was very non-eventful... One couple camping, and that was it. The harbor was starting to fill up again, but the folks on the sailboats and cruisers are usually pretty low-maintenance.
No issues to speak of really.
On Monday we were working on vacating our quarters to make room for the next set of volunteers that are coming to take over from us. We packed all out stuff and cleaned up the joint and moved down to another "apartment" across the fort. A much nicer place, except that it leaked badly from the storm...
It had been cleaned up, but there was a lot of mold on the ceiling tiles in the living room.
No big deal to us, though.
I mowed most of the parade ground at the end of the day on Monday... The parade ground is the area inside the fort walls. It is the equivalent of 16 football fields. That is a $#|+load of mowing... I finished 80% on Monday afternoon. We have a bitchin' mower... The thing will do about 40MPH...
Anway- I knocked off just before sundown... I was a tired camper.
Trep and Brion asked if we would help move a couple chugs in the morning, and help get the Mako and the Whaler on trailers before we got going on our regular chores... We arranged to meet at 6:30- We needed to use a forklift and tractor to move the boats-
Well... We got the old chugs (including the one we got on the 7th) re-arranged on the chugpile, got the trailers freed up so we could use them for the real boats, and as we were getting ready to pull them out, here comes another chug steaming through the harbor!
13 more Cubans, 6 men, 4 women and 3 kids! Trep ran to put his gear on (Kevlar, sidearm, shotgun, etc) and Brion and I went out to settle the migrants as they arrived on Bush Key...
They cheered as the chug hit the beach- the all got out of the boat as we arrived...
They were very cool once we told them the had made it to the US... Lots of smiles.
Willie and Trep arrived, did a quick weapons search, and they marched them off Bush Key and into the fort, got them settled into one of the rooms and let them shower and cleanup a little as they were covered in disel fuel.
Brion and I dealt with the new chug- got it off the island, on the trailer, out of the water and over to the chugpile and back off the trailer in 20 minutes. We got the Mako on the trailer and up out of the water so we could look into the damage to the engine from the storm. It's not a pretty sight.
The ferries arrived at 10:30- about 10 new masons from El Morro in San Juan arrived, and also the new volunteers. They are also from Jacksonville Beach... Real nice folks-
The Coast Guard showed up at 12:00 to pick up the Cubans- The rangers marched them out to the CG tender, one of the kids led the parade- She was a tiny thing- maybe 6 or 7 years old... Made a nice photo op for the visitors. (I was on crowd control, so I had no opportunity to take pics, but I did get a couple shots as they were loaded in the CG tender.
Let's see... What else- I gave the new volunteers some orientation- got them pointed the right way.
Finished up the mowing...
Gotta repack, get ready to leave tomorrow...
Man, what a day.
Oh yeah- in the Cuban Migrant pool- Whoever had 13 on the 14th wins this weeks pool.
Congrats.
TBG out-
Saturday, June 11, 2005
The Imperfect Storm
Hi Kids-
Well... We survived Arlene... It wasn't pretty.
I headed out at dawn yesterday to start checking things- I went to check on the boats, the grounds, the dock- everything was ok early in the day. Later, not so good.
The brunt of the storm wasn't until later- Things probably were the worst around 11:00 AM...
Around 10:00 the seas in the harbor were 3-5 feet. The patrol boats and the research boats were taking a beating. The wind was coming directly out of the south-southeast, straight onto the dock, so the boats were pointing right into the wind and waves. Add to it a storm surge and a very high tide, and you have a recipe for sunken boats. We were able to get the boats pumped out later in the evening and got the engines started up, so we had no permanant damage to the boats...
We had the Coast Guard call us around 10 pm Thursday night, reporting a de-masted sailboat 9 miles southwest of Loggerhead Key; They were rescued later (around 2:30 AM)... We also had several boats in the harbor drag anchor and then had problems getting hooked back up. In addition, we had the Coast Guard calling to find several boats that were overdue to Key West... Some were here in the harbor or on the west side of the island, and some weren't here...
We had a bunch of cosmetic damage- branches down, stuff blown around, closure signs missing, damage to the displays on the dock, etc... We also had 3 of the pencil bouys that mark the closed area off Bush Key wash up here on Garden Key. Hunter and I took care of most of the debris around the island this (Saturday) morning. We took 5 loads of branches, palm fronds and other flotsam and jetsam up to the burn pile and off to the recycling bins. We had a full morning starting at 6:30am...
(Why were we up at 6:30 this morning after a very long day yesterday, you might ask? Well, I'll tell you... At about 5:30 we had a termite swarm in our quarters... This place is alive with termites- everyone's quarters has 'em... that's why no one brings their own furniture out here. Everything made of wood is eventually infested. And to add to the fun, every couple weeks in the summer a group will strike out and look for new wood... So this morning we had a swarm in our room... Did Hunter freak out? Yep, you know it.)
Let's see, what else... Over on Loggerhead the took some damage to the water intakes for the RO water system... the waves over there were huge- they were crashing over the dock... It was pretty bad over there.
From the "Things that make you go Hmmmm" Department: There were 6 chugs, boats from Cuban migrants, on the beaches over at Loggerhead before the storm... Now there are 7. Hmmm... The volunteers haven't said anything about any emaciated latinos coming to the door and trying to surrender...
If you want to see the pictures- look here:
DRTO June at listen2unclejay.com
It will give you an idea of when we dealt with yesterday...
TBG out...
Thursday, June 09, 2005
We cannot catch a break...
Here comes Arlene...
Right now she has 40MPH winds, and is heading due north.
We're closing the campground, suggesting the recreational boaters head beck to Key West, and generally trying to get ready for the storm.
So... We will probably lose phones and satellite connections this afternoon...
So don't expect updates until Saturday or Sunday...
Welcome to the not-so-Dry Tortugas....
Right now she has 40MPH winds, and is heading due north.
We're closing the campground, suggesting the recreational boaters head beck to Key West, and generally trying to get ready for the storm.
So... We will probably lose phones and satellite connections this afternoon...
So don't expect updates until Saturday or Sunday...
Welcome to the not-so-Dry Tortugas....
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Finally! June has arrived!
First things first-
In the Cuban migrant pool, whoever had 10 migrants arriving on June 7th is the winner for this week. (Tiebreaker - Brown chug-chug, 8:20am, Garden Key)
The weather has finally cleared for the last couple days... 10 knot winds out of the south... Fairly clear skies. And hot hot hot.
Lots of work out here... We have a environmental safety audit going on... A team of inspectors are here to look at the OSHA compliance and to see if all the different safety procedures and equipment is on-hand.
In the last few days leading up to it, we have been checking fire-extinguishers, MSDS manuals, smoke detectors, and general safety conditions around the fort.
What fun.
Let's see... I have another thing I'll need to write up later, but I can tell you it involves a run-in with one of the US Customs/ICE teams that came out here un-announced. More on that later.
Hmmm... What else? Oh yeah... Hunter and I actually got a chance to swim yesterday! We knocked off around 3:00 yesterday and hit the south beach for an hour or so... It was very nice. We sat in the water and got a chance for a nice father-daughter chat about how things have been going so far...
Really nice.
Ok... There are bathrooms out there that aren't going to clean themselves...
TBG out-
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