Visit from Mom Z.

Jan’s mom, despite health problems, was not to be deterred in her quest to be our only repeat visitor in the last two years.  Hmmm … maybe we scared everyone else away?  At any rate, we always have a good time when she is visiting us, and this time is no exception.  Click on the photos so see what we’ve been doing.  There will be more added shortly.  We’d  love to get more visitors - anytime! [well, we'd like to be here  when you arrive, so just give us some warning!]

Some New Photos

Please click on the “photos” page in the right hand column to view some of the recent photos I took in Old Town Albuquerque.

Where Do Your Tax Dollars Go?

A recent article in the paper by Brian Riedl of the conservative Heritage Foundation gave a breakdown on how federal taxes are spent.  It appears that the facts were basically correct, but they were displayed and commented on with a distinctly conservative slant, politically.  I did some research and came across this explanation, which I like better.  If you want to see where your money is going, take a look.

Clarinet Trio Performs

I was fortunate enough to catch most of a performance by Solaris - a clarinet trio made up of three young professional clarinetists from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Coloarado Springs, CO - when they performed for free at the Los Griegos Library on Tuesday.  These young ladies were fabulous musicians and they played entertaining pieces, that would appeal to anyone who likes good music well played.  A couple of ragtime tunes, a march or two, selections from Rigoletto and other operas, and much more.  The bass clarinetist provided bass notes and rhythm and occasionally took over the melody with ease.  The two Bb clarinetists alternated melodies and harmonies between them.  I was actually supposed to be working when they were performing - and I did get some  work done - but all the staff knows my musical background, so just assumed I wouldn’t be able to resist watching some of the performance.  I even met the performers briefly, and looked at some of their sheet music.  Click on the thumbnail pictures below to see the performers in action, and click here for more information on the musical programs at the Air Force Academy.

     

Our Neighborhood Association

Jan just signed up to be on the Board of Directors for our neighborhood association (which represents about 1500 homes).  We’ve been helping out a little over the past year by distributing flyers for them door-to-door once in a while, and we’ve just been given the responsibility of “masters of the sign” [my name for it], and possession of the magic letters.  Here’s Jan next to our latest creation.  Jan won’t have a lot to do as a Board member, hopefully, but it will give us a little more insight and input into what goes on around here.

Balloons Over Albuquerque

Well, actually it’s balloons over our house, since these photos were taken from our back yard.  Particularly on quiet weekend mornings (when people are off from work), you hear the whoosh sound of the hot air furnace being turned on under the balloon, and away to the window you fly, tear open the shutters and throw up the sash, and there to your wondering eyes should appear - a massive balloon, so very very near (apologies to Clement C. Moore).  What a rush!   Click on the pictures to enlarge.

    

  

Movie Review
We very much enjoyed The Spiderwick Chronicles, based on a series of books under the same title by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi.  It’s a good family film, with something good for everyone, albeit a little scary for the littlest kiddies.  Young Freddie Highmore (he of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Finding Neverland) plays a dual role, as Jared and his brother Simon Grace.  Nick Nolte’s voice is used for the head ogre/goblin and Martin Short’s voice is wonderful as the character Thimbletack.  Mary-Louise Parker (wasn’t she great in TV’s West Wing?) plays a great frazzled Mom here.  Anyway, we saw it for $1, so we made out like bandits for such a cool flick.  If you can see it for even 5 times the price, you should do it - it’ll be worth it.

Hiking in the Sandias
A busy weekend.  I think we’re gonna have to plan some down time sometime soon.  It’s tough to keep up this pace, although we’re having a great time trying.  Jan played volleyball on Saturday night, we hiked in the Sandias today, and we hope to play golf tomorrow!  Jan almost played volleyball a second time this weekend also, but it turned out she wasn’t needed, and that was for the best. Clicking on the link below will allow you access to a few photos from the hike we took in the Sandia Mountains.  There are so many hikes to take in the Sandias that it’s easy to get confused and even forget which ones you’ve already done.  There are easy hikes and difficult ones, and lots in-between.  All give great views of the mountains and  the city of Albuquerque, so that’s an added pleasure.  This time of the year is a great one to hike, because it’s not too hot, and not too cold and snowy either.  Of course, you need sunblock on at all times or you risk a bad burn.  This trail starts underneath the aerial tram that goes up to the mountaintop, and ends at the major hiking trail (La Luz) that goes to the top, so it’s kind of a connecting trail that allows hikers a way to park, hike to La Luz trail, hike to the top of the Sandias on La Luz, and then take the tram back down to the parking area - an all day, difficult hiking event that we haven’t attempted yet.  To see more pictures click below. You do NOT need to sign in to view the pictures:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=132itzwn.3kd54ct7&x=0&y=vi917f&localeid=en_US

Polygamist Cult
Excuse me, but I’m sure that polygamous marriages are outlawed in all 50 states of the U.S.  The media are constantly referring to the current Texas events as occurring in the “polygamous” cult FLDS.  Well, if it is well known that the FLDS practices polygamy, and there is evidence to prove this, then why weren’t  ALL  of them put in jail a long time ago - men and  women ???    And furthermore, I don’t believe any of the sob stories that the “wives” are telling now on national television.  If they don’t look and sound like aliens or programmed  ”Stepford” wives, then I don’t know who does!

Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times
a new book by Amy and David Goodman

Amy Goodman is the chief reporter and writer for Democracy Now,  a progressive radio and TV show that for over 12 years has taken a full hour to investigate and report on human and civil rights abuses in America, and around the world.  She has consistently stood up for the common people, the poor, and the oppressed and thus her show is pilloried by the likes of Limbaugh and O’Reilly as naive and left-wing radical.  Her show is simply ignored by the rest of the media.  It’s too bad, because she is a great interviewer, she probes deeply - not superficially - into issues, and she has the time to let people tell their own stories at length.

Amy’s brother David Goodman is a nationally known independent journalist whose articles have appeared inThe Nation, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and Mother Jones Magazine.

I had the privilege of seeing both Amy and David speak and sign their new book Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times, at the University of New Mexico tonight - a fund raiser for KUNM-FM radio, the only radio station in Albuquerque that currently broadcasts Democracy Now.  The book is their third effort together, and recounts the stories of ordinary citizens who stood up to opression and violations of their rights.  One chapter is about 4 Connecticut librarians who stood up and fought against unconstitutional parts of Bush’s so-called ”Patriot Act” of 2001, and another tells the simple story (not often told correctly!) of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus boycott.

NOT McCain - please!  Why not? - Part one
John McCain’s Greed-Based Health Care Plan (click here)
By Paul Krugman, The New York Times.
Mr. McCain’s approach to health care is based on the fantasy that the magic of the marketplace can produce cheap health care for everyone.

McCain’s Dismal MLK Record Proves He Didn’t Believe in King’s Dream or Civil Rights (click)
Pam Spaulding, Pam’s House Blend
The fact of the matter is that McCain brought this on himself, with his paper trail of cozying up to racists and his voting record.

McCain’s ‘Maverick’ Myth Is the Media’s Creation (click)
By David Brock and Paul Waldman, Anchor Books
The bizarre tale of how the media turned a crooked Republican into the mirage of a principled politician.

Harriet’s Return: Based Upon the Legendary Life of Harriet Tubman
We attended this award-winning and critically acclaimed theatrical event, chronicling the private and public life of famed Underground Railroad conductor, spiritual icon, and revolutionary, Harriet Tubman, whose life spanned nine decades and still influences the consciousness of people around the world.  Actress Karen Jones Meadows played Harriet, and nearly 30 other colorful characters, as she weaves Harriet’s story in a unique style. She takes the audience from contemporary America into the depths of Ms. Tubman’s soul, the psyche of a nation, and a call to action.  This was a benefit for New Child Productions’ Youth Theater Program and featured a special performance by the youth company during intermission.  Some of the the things we found out from the performance were that Harriet was married twice, she rescued her sister and her mother and father from slavery after she had freed herself, and that she met Mary Todd Lincoln, John Brown, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and many other famous people of her era.