meJoe.com

Importing slaves ends 200 years ago.  This is an interesting landmark worth noting.

I recently heard a great interview with Tamora Pierce about writing fantasy books for girls. The interview was on To the Best of Our Knowledge. Tamora talked about the changes girls go through as they hit puberty. She has visited various schools and commented on the difference between all-girl-schools and coed schools. Girls up to 6th grade are confident, full of energy and inquisitive. When they hit 7th grade, it changes. She does not see this missing energy in all-girl-schools as much.

If you have a young girl you may find her bibilography of interest.

Tomorrow I leave for California for one week. I’ll be in Los Angeles and San Francisco. My first real vacation (with some work) in almost 3 years.

California here I come,
Right back where I started from,
Where bowers of flowers bloom in the sun,
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing an’ ev’rything:
A sun-kiss’d miss said, “don’t be late,”
That’s why I can hardly wait,
Open up that Golden Gate,
California here I come

From the song, California, Here I Come. OK, enough for today. I thought about posting a link to a MIDI version, but its just not worth it

The recent news about Fidel’s unprecedented transfer of power to his brother has created a rumor frenzy. Immediatly people everywhere asked if he was actualy dead. There apparently have been no confirmations. As far as I was concerned, his death was only a rumor.
Until tonight at least. I was having dinner with a Cuban. She got a phone call from a family member who claimed that Castro had actually died. We were frozen for a moment. Such news does not invoke emotion. He has been such so substantial and consistent, it was like saying the sun would not rise tomorrow… how could that be? We later ordered a bottle of wine, with the intent to celebrate. Our discussion later never even approached the topic.

I got home, and guess what, not a single news story about his actual death. What is going on? I don’t totally discredit the rumor. The situation is far to suspect to let slip. The Castro regime has been far to clandestine on this. We are still left in the grey.

Here are some of the stories (thanks Google News):

• 638 Ways to kill Castro - Guardian Unlimited - Exploding Cigars and old turtles!
• Castro assures Cuba that his health is stable - India Examiner
• Sister says Castro getting better - CNN.com

If he does die again (or doesn’t), I’ll be the first non-Cuban to know.

I got my first hate letter, thanks to my story, A Member of the Family.

This was a definite poster. Thanks to my article, A Member of the Family. The next issue of Sombrilla will also print it, but I couldn’t wait!

I was appalled to read Joseph McBride’s perspective on killing the family pig (Spring 2004).

I had family that lived in the country and that lived from the land. So, yes, I understand the harsh realities of life.

But, Mr. McBride starts off by saying that he wasn’t sure about killing, it had only happened once before, etc., etc. And then he tells us that he HAD to do it? And if his wife’s uncles made him jump from a bridge, would
he do that too?

You are right, Mr. McBride, it is their customs, their way of life. But, it is not yours (at least that is what you stated). Instead of feeling pride, you should be ashamed. Ashamed that you did not stay true to your
feelings, your way of life, and felt the need just to please others.

If her relatives should come to your home in the United States to visit, will you demand that they follow your customs? Your traditions?

Will they be made to dress like us? Eat only our foods? No, I would guess not. Hopefully you and yours would accept them for who they are. But obviously you didn’t think they would accept you.

No, I think that you were not doing it to survive, you did it to fit in and to please. As for showing no emotions or feeling anything, that is sad. But, most killers don’t.

I presume the picture of the pig is the victim, with the young one looking on. Nice, really, nice.

This issue is for the trash.

-Critical in San Antonio

I didn’t have the heart to say until now that the pig I killed was actually the “young one looking on”.

My article for the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Sombrilla magazine.

My wife is from Taguasco, Cuba, the last town at the end of the Cuban Central
Expressway known as La Autopista. Built by the Russians, this underused six-
to eight-lane highway is big enough to land a bomber. This massive artery connects
the “sugar bowl” of Cuba to Havana. Huge palm trees accentuate the
tobacco and sugar cane fields all along the way. Taguasco is about 1,600 people
strong and every bit a small town.

In December 2003, for our family vacation, we went to Cuba. We met, it seemed,
everyone in Taguasco and enjoyed the company of my in-laws. Thanks to my wife’s
Uncle Titi, we feasted on fresh beef daily because one of the cows from his
farm had a “mysterious accident…”

Read a copy here on my site or visit the article at Sombrilla On-line.

A brave biker-lady goes into the ghost town that is left over from the 1984 disaster that literally wiped out a city.

Thanks to a Russian lady named Elena, we get an eerie glimpse into what is left of the surrounding dead areas of Chernobyl, the location of the 1984 nuclear melt-down.

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/kiddofspeed/

De Marchi is probably the most active and skilled wood worker that I have ever seen.

Livio De Marchi’s Web site showcases the beautiful and surprising shapes that wood, the most familiar of all elements, can be taken too. From clothing too a Ferrari that floats, this italian sculptor brings a modern flavor to the classic Pinocchio theme. His sculptures are dynamic pieces that take life and almost react to the elements - wooden shirts blow in the wind, flowers bend to gravity, books carry the great detail intended by it’s binders.

The recent bombing of a Spanish commuter train has truly shaken me up. I used to travel in and out of the same train station where the main blast occured.

I have never been in or around the World Trade Center. The attack of 9/11 was scarry, but not as close to me as the familiar Atocha train station in Madrid Spain and it’s subsequent bombing. I have ridden in and out of this train station on various occasions under various moods. Much like an old car can bring back memories, this Iberian transportation hub reminds me of good and difficult times of old as I passed in, out and around Madrid, Spain.

Most shockingly, I came across a story that interviewed spanish rescue workers. Remember the cell phone calls from folks that were stuck on the top floors of the World Trade Center? The cell towers this time were transmitting a truly disheartening tone. In the convention center turned morgue near by, the rescue workers would come across bodies that had cell phones in the pockets, ringing. Imagine the moments of distress on the other side of the line.

Fidel Castro posted a message of condolence to Don Juan Carlos (the King of Spain). There is no mention of Aznar (the Spanish President). I came across this letter during my hunt for more information on this bombing. Spain and Cuba have very deep cultural and historical ties that go back centuries. I thought I would add this because of Castro’s uncanny ability to politicize his speach at a truly subtle level. 45 years of “terrorism” seem to change the tone to a letter of empathy.

I should mention that it is March 11, 2004. Exactly 2 and a half years have passed since 9/11. There are six months left until September 11. I don’t think I will go out on that day or the 11th of any other up-coming month. I want to do my part though, so maybe I’ll shop on-line…

From the south of Spain comes a quick and tasty recipe.

First, the solids:
Put the ingredients into the blender in the following order:

• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1 small bell pepper
• 1 small cucumber
• 3 tomatoes (or enough to top off the blender)
• 1 tsp of salt (and, optionally, 1 tsp of cumin)

Second, the liquids:
The correct ratio of oil & vinegar is a matter of taste. Play with it.

• 1/2 cup olive oil (the best you can afford)
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 cup water

Blend the contents for a few minutes, until everything has been well mixed up. Then pour the liquid through a strainer into a bowl. You must strain it. You can then pour it into a pitcher and serve it over plenty of ice, or put it in a tightly sealed container and take it to the beach. Some bread for dipping is nice. Some folks like to garnish it with finely chopped cucumber. Take note, the most sensitive ingredient is the tomato. It should be as ripe as possible, not refrigerated and the skin should not be broken (as is often the case with ripe tomatoes).

Please let me know how much you love this, or if you have any suggestions. You will probably notice the quality improve as the season progresses and the vegetables become more fresh. Gazpacho should keep for at least a week in the fridge. I haven’t had the guts to push the envelope.

(Thanks to al-andalus.com.)