HIPPIES

Tonopah in the spring.


Here are a few more photos from my stay in Tonopah last weekend. I have to do this on the fly so will post more later, for the record. I realize that you are all wondering what's new in Tonopah, the town that is rotting in the sun, blowing away in the wind. I will tell you...

HIPPIES of Tonopah

The note in the window reads, "HIPPIE: I waited for 1 1/2 hrs to pick up my cigarettes. You can't make any money if your closed. Ken". Right. I bet Ken wanted to buy "cigarettes". Hippie never did show up but I pressed my camera to the glass and got photos of what's inside.










HIPPIES of Tonopah, town's newest boutique


01:51


I hope HIPPIES is open the next time we blow through town. I'd like to get a better peek inside plus I'd like to meet the guy but more likely he will already be out of business.

Lunch among the crows

Before I post more from Tonopah, here's a new clip from the Bird Park. The crow prefers to eat from a dish, in a civilized manner, but he is not too sure about the other guy.

Lunch among crows

01:14

Birthday blues

My sister emailed this photo today of our Dad and Mom on his 56th birthday. She's good like that. My brother wrote back that Dad's big round head make him think of Charlie Brown. He was a Charlie Brown, not only in looks but personality though, prompted by my Norwegian pride, I must add... HARD WORKER. A Charlie Brown who made it work anyway. And a good Dad. Andy. Note the giant hands. First generation from Norway. North Dakota homestead raised. Sixth grade education. Quit during plowing time that year. Too much work to ever go back. Married. Loved her big tits. She always said she married him for his dimple. Migrated to Seattle. Steel business. Worked his way up from shipyard welder to plant owner. Raged against slick and sleazy business partners. "Too honest", he would complain. Proved you can't take the country out of the boy. Today would be his 97th, had he lived. Not unreasonable, given that he came from a line of long-lived Norwegians. Grandma made it to 98.

Like my sister wrote, they were so young. Looks like my mother has already enjoyed a birthday toast or two. Ironically, spread before him a feast made up of things that called his early death ... a cube of butter, a platter of flesh, a brimming glass of whole milk and a luscious fat-filled sugary cake. Not pictured: cigarettes and booze. Not included: regular exercise. If only they knew then what we know now, they might both be alive to celebrate this day with us.

Nim Chimpsky

Here is a sad story about a chimp named Nim who, for a brief bright time in his too short life, lived like a boy. I wish this post were an April Fool's joke, but it's not.

Nim Chimpsky

Nim after the funding ran out.

“Humanity's true moral test, its fundamental test, consists of its attitude toward those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect, human kind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it.” ~Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Central America

As some of you missed an earlier post on the subject, thought I'd mention again that we had to postpone our trip to Central America, this after we purchased the airline tickets. The reason is that over the last year and a half, M. Lee has been laying the groundwork for a business proposal and, naturally, his lawyers just informed him that, at this point, he has to be available should his presence be required in court. He could have postponed the proceedings until after the trip but then we'd be in its shadow the whole time. This way, either way, it's done and we can go celebrate or lick our wounds. So it goes. We're hoping to go in the fall, i.e. hurricane season instead of malaria season.

But we are trying out our new backpacks this weekend. Just a short trip to Oregon. However, I will be forced to cheat because I must bring the laptop, a luxury that will be denied me when we go south. One should not rush austerity.

Life in the desert

Here are a few photos from my recent walk with a couple of shelter dogs. This next disheveled place was perhaps once a lean-to someone built for themselves. Sadly, they violated the first rule of home making. Even birds know it. I realize the details are not very clear but can you guess what the rule is? Here's a hint. That blue in the corner is not fallen pieces of sky.

Next, Capt. Jack and I came across this interesting skeleton, perhaps the remains of a coyote complete with what may well be it's dying crap. It seems there's a theme developing here but it's not my intention to gross you out. I simply want to share the walk with you.

Eva (aka Mama) enjoying a moment in the sun away from her puppies but she didn't want to leave them for long. I have developed a new appreciation for pit bulls and pit mixes since I started volunteering at the shelter. Mama is absolutely as sweet as they come.

I'll be watching you

So what's so bad if our personal information is available to the public, government and corporate sectors, you know... things like our shopping habits, vacation history, magazine subscriptions, library and medical records, entertainment choices ... all that stuff? Get a load of what the Bush neoconservatives setting up behind our backs while we're busy living our lives. Forward to 01:21 in this video.

A short, entertaining portrayal of the new consumer environment at 01:21
or
for a peak at just who really have THE MONEY: 1:10:34

The lyrics of this song by Sting are particularly chilling in the information age:

Every breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break, every step you take
I'll be watching you

Every single day
And every word you say
Every game you play, every night you stay
I'll be watching you

America: Freedom to Fascism

Dreaming you too

Jerry's ball machine

lamgngo built this very cool machine for his very cool cute little Dachshund, Jerry. The little boy in the video is also very cool and cute. And that's probably his very cool and perfect mom downstairs playing the piano. They are all smart and wonderful and live in perfect world we can only dream about but you'll just have to get over it and join in the fun. Go on. You know you want to.

Jerry's ball machine

02:09

Out the window

Comma Coffee yesterday


I want to do everything at once. That is always a problem for me but, like today, after too much coffee ... things get out of hand. I don't know who directs traffic in your head, but in mine it's a hive of bees. And my thoughts are like bees. Bees directing bees. The things I need to do get lost in the shuffle or, at the very least, deeply resented, like today, after a bunch of bees swarmed the pedals and start peddling. So, what do I do? A blog post.

We have postponed our trip to Central America. Business matters. M. Lee can't go until they are resolved. So be it. First things first and all that. This way we avoid malaria season. Instead, we can look forward to visiting the region during hurricane season. That's what we did last time. I guess it's a tradition. Anyway, I'm not sure which would be worse, chased by a hurricane or a mosquito.