Tsunami "wave"

Artist conception of California's "Big One".

I'm still thinking about the earthquake in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26. It made the entire planet vibrate and triggered devastating tsunamis through the area killing between 230,000–280,000 in 14 countries and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska.  Until now, I did not realize just how powerful they can be. It got me thinking about the proverbial "Big One" that's been predicted for California for decades.

When I lived in San Francisco, I worried about it a lot. The quake in SE Asian is a shocking reminder of just how vulnerable coastal cities are. I found this photo shopped image of California's proverbial Big One. Chilling.

Las Vegas Xmas

Las Vegas doesn't look much different at Christmas. It's already so completely over the top that a few extra lights don't make much difference. The town was packed but we managed to cover a lot of ground anyway. Among other things, we spent some time in Chinatown. 99 Ranch Market was unaffected by the holidays but colorful Christmas lights were wrapped around the palm trees in the parking lot and out-lined pagoda roof tops.

And definitely the Dragon was having a great time.

As for us, we had Bubble Tea in Chinatown one night. It was a first for me and I found it delightful. It's more like a smoothie than tea and the "bubbles" are huge tapioca balls that sink to the bottom. I'm always that irritating person with a camera so, of course, I photographed the occasion and include some of the pictures here. You can see how they naturally run together like a flipbook. (Note: In the first few shots, the only noticeable action is in background, but don't be fooled. Trouble is brewing in the mind of the inscrutable Ms. Kennan.)




We spent some time downtown as well. In case you don't know, that's the Las Vegas you see in all the old movies although it's changed over the last few years to compete with The Strip. Its main street is now spiffed up by a light show but if you look closely at the photos, you'll see that the old neon cowgirl (left) and cowboy (right) are still there. They used to be out under the stars. Now they're under the "Fremont Experience". Don't forget to check out the Christmas at the end of the street. Everything goes in Las Vegas.





Downtown is also the home of Binion's Casino, where the world famous Texas hold 'em poker tournaments are held. In 2004, the purse was sixteen million dollars with the top winner taking home 2.5 million in cash. In true Las Vegas style, the event includes the gaudy flaunting of outrageous fortune. Burly bodyguards ceremoniously accompany an official as he carries millions of dollars in cash to the poker room where he stacks the bills up on one of the green felt-covered tables before the (secretly) slavering crowd of poker-faced gamblers.

In spite of his checkered past, everybody loved the casino's founder, Benny Binion. Even Nevada Senator Harry Reid claimed, "Benny's my hero. Nevada is a better place because of him!" But Benny's offspring haven't fared so well. His son Ted had problems with the gaming commission because of his drug and alcohol problems and mafia cohorts and was eventually barred by the state from entering his own casino. Then in 1998, he died under suspicious circumstances. There is plenty of evidence suggesting that Ted was murdered by his girlfriend Sandy Murphy and her other (secret) lover and Ted's trusted friend, Rick Tabish. In fact, the pair was originally convicted of murder but subsequently the verdict was reversed in a re-trial. Good lawyers are worth their weight in gold, or silver as the case may be. However, charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary and grand larceny against the couple stuck. After all, two days after Ted's death, the sheriff discovered Tabish at Binion's desert hideaway, filling a dump truck with Ted's 7 million dollar stash of silver bars.

Naturally the poker tournaments have flourished in spite of it all the scandal. Gamblers are an imperturbable lot. And it looks like Binion's has a future, at least for now. Harrah's just closed a deal to buy the place and have promised to keep the tournament there at least for 2005 but I'm guessing they'll soon move it to The Strip. Because of Binion's, Texas hold 'em has become wildly popular... and lucrative...and in Las Vegas, it's always all about the money. Too bad, if you ask me. The Binion's of today is a dark and seedy dive, reeking with funky history and atmosphere. That makes it the perfect and wonderfully ironic place for a the world most famous poker tournament. Oh well. I don't gamble anyway. Asia and I had a great time there just playing in one of Binion's lesser known wonders, the ladies' room mirrors.


Ps. Happy New Year.

Tsunami Relief

Bush's pledge of $35 million dollars for tsunami relief is an insult and embarrassment to everyone. Just for a little perspective here, Bush spends FIVE TIMES that amount EVERY DAY for his bullshit war in Iraq. He'll spend at least 40 mil for his damn inauguration.

Top payout to a US executive before 2003: $36 million

(Top payout since 2003: $140 million to Michael Orvitz, Disney Co.)
(Average payout: $6 million)

Penalties paid for environmental violations in NY city, 2003: $40
million

Single bank robbery in Ireland, 2004: $40 million

Price Rupert Murdoch paid for an apartment in NY city this year: $44
million

$35 million is less than it will cost to repair the roof on the
Brewer's Stadium here.

Six top executives could donate their buy-out bonuses and exceed the
amount the US has pledged.

The world is waiting, Mister Bush. Put our money where your damn mouth is. As you have trouble being accountable, plenty of other people are doing it for you. As a billboard in New York's Times Square notes:

The cost of the Iraq war increases at a rate of $177M per day; that's $7.4M per hour and $122,820 per minute.

If you're looking for comprehensive news and information about resources, aid, donations and volunteer efforts regarding the tsunami disaster in SE Asia check out the SEA-EAT blog.

Also MoveOn has a form you can use to tell congress to increase the aide. Pass the link along. If a tsunami doesn't make these jokers honest, what will?

Useful information category

I found this post from craigslist to be not only hilarious but an interesting way to deal with corporate brush-off.

I attacked a company today
Reply to: anon-52441932@craigslist.org
Date: Wed Dec 15 10:00:36 2004

And I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

The office manager comes to me with a bill from a phone company that's slammed us. You know, they call, talk to someone, and then pretend that we've green lighted a meaningless charge. Bastards!

So I get the bill. I call the customer service number. The recording says to leave a number; they'll call back in 2 days. Right.

Stupidly though, they left a fax number. It's just like they had dropped their pants and exposed their flaccid gentiles for my abuse. Time for a humiliating kick in the corporate crotch.

I prepare a document on my computer. It has my name and phone number in large letters. Beneath that, I insert a large, toner-sucking graphic. I then copy the page and re-insert it into the document. 60 times.

Next I print this document....to my fax modem. From there, the 60 pages are directed towards their unsuspecting fax machine. I hit the resubmit button 5 or 6 times for good measure, thus queuing about 300 pages. I wait.

About 20 minutes later, an anxious voice on my phone asks for my account number. From his pain reflected in his tone, I know that my well placed kick to their firms groin has met the exposed meat. Pain and embarrassment is being felt and spread around. He quickly tells me that my account has been cleared and canceled, and we don't have to pay the bill. I smirk as I hear him squirm, his humiliation complete.

Fax machines are the testicles of just about any company. If a company gives you grief, attack the fax, and no matter how big they are, they'll drop to the ground, curl up in a fetal position, and beg for mercy.

It always works.

Button1

HORARY for Winter Solstice

Near the south galactic pole
between Cetus and Sculptor
beyond the universe of naked eye
Galaxy 253
shimmers

To its west
near the galactic equator and ecliptic intersection
the diffuse nebulae M20 and M8
stellar sphinxes—guardians at the winter solstice point
of our northern hemisphere
shimmer

On my earth
wild roses perfume this afternoon's rain

On my earth
in the 21st century after Christ
after countless way-showers and seed-sowers
the only revolution left
is love.


asha

winter solstice poem poetry

Solstice in Las Vegas

We're leaving tomorrow for Las Vegas. It just seemed like the appropriately jaded place to be this year during the Christmas holidays including the Winter Solstice, my favorite day of the season. The exact moment of the solstice this year will be on Tuesday, December 21, at 7:42 A.M. EST (12:42 UT) but, for me, it defines the season. So, wherever you are and whatever you do during these last days of the year, may you do it with people you love.