Happy Fourth of July from Shanghai

Hazy fireworks, Happy 4th!

Happy Presidents' Day ... this year, I honor Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Pierce

Pierce Manse

Last summer, I visited New Hampshire and Vermont -- homes to this year's Presidents. So, in honor of Franklin Pierce and Calvin Coolidge, I dedicate this Presidents' Day.

First, I stopped in Concord, NH and, in addition to visiting the State Capitol, stopped to see the Pierce Manse. Sadly, it wasn't open, but I did get to walk around a bit. As an interesting side note, in elementary school (4th and 5th grade), one of my classmates claimed to be descended from Franklin Pierce. Who knows?

From New Hampshire, we drove on to Vermont and spent some time in the Rutland area. Before driving back to Manchester, we took a side trip to Plymouth Notch, the home and birthplace of Calvin Coolidge. The historic site was quite interesting.

So, what about the two Presidents? Pierce was certainly one of the worst (despite having his biography being written by Nathaniel Hawthorne! Coolidge probably somewhere in the middle.

Coolidge Birthplace (and birthroom)

Happy 2015 and Feliz Año 2015!!!! #HappyNewYear

Happy New Year and Feliz Año 2015. Caught this photo when in Mexico City early in 2014.

Wrapping up the #Thanksgiving leftovers #Turkey #Cranberries #SweetPotatoes

FYI never put a marshmallows on sweet potatoes!

"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant ..." #QotD #Thanksgiving

Yes, it's that time of year again ... time again to revisit the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre ... and yes, here it comes, it's coming around again ... here it is, sing along, because you know, if they see "Fifty people a day walking in singin' a bar of Alice's Restaurant and Walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement" and friend, I say friends, I do believe that we could use a movement about now so ... well, here it comes ....

"You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Excepting Alice
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant" - Arlo Guthrie

O say can you see? The flag on flag day ...

Today (14 June 2014 - Flag Day) is the day we honor the flag ... but we really should honor the principles that we say the flag represents.

And a happy Vesak, or birthday to Siddhārtha Gautama | Gautama Buddha | Shakyamuni | or, the Englightened One

And a happy Vesak (aka Fódàn or  वैशाख | Vaiśākha | 佛誕 | 佛诞 | 석가탄신일| 灌仏会 | Phật Đản or Buddha's Birthday). As with so many things, if you try to find the date of the day, you will have a hard time ... various Buddhist regions celebrate on different days, but it's roughly the first week of the first full moon in May ... this year, Indian and Nepalese are celebrating today, 14 May.

The Buddha here is from the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, Little India, Singapore with the Buddha in the bhumisparsha-mudra position (Buddha at the moment of victory). Here is Buddha at the moment of enlightenment, touching the earth (not the sky) to show that enlightenment encompasses all things (rocks, dirt, concrete) and is of the earth, not apart from it.

More posts about Buddha. And some Flickr photos.

2013 Arlington Turkey Trot

I think you might be interested in this track: 2013 Turkey Trot
Created by Google My Tracks on Android.

• Name: Turkey Trot 
• Activity type: walking 
• Description: - Total distance: 5.17 km (3.2 mi) 
• Total time: 1:10:39 Moving time: 1:05:00 
• Average speed: 4.39 km/h (2.7 mi/h) 
• Average moving speed: 4.77 km/h (3.0 mi/h)
• Max speed: 6.48 km/h (4.0 mi/h) 
• Average pace: 13:40 min/km (21:60 min/mi) 
• Average moving pace: 12:34 min/km (20:14 min/mi) 
• Fastest pace: 9:15 min/km (14:54 min/mi) 
• Max elevation: 97 m (317 ft) Min elevation: 74 m (243 ft) 
• Elevation gain: 93 m (305 ft) 
• Max grade: 13 % Min grade: -13 % 
• Recorded: 11/28/2013 07:57

Feeling extremely irrational today ... don't know why, oh wait, yes ...

It's Pi day, March 14th ... π  3.141592653589793238462643383279 5028841971693993751058209749445923   0781640628620899862803482534211706 79821480865132823066470938446095505 822317253594081284811174502841027019 385211055596446229489549303819644288 1097566593344612847564823378678316527 120190914564856692346034861045432 ...

Here is Pi to the first million digits ... and as an added bonus, here's a fabulous video that Sky Vibes made for the Kate Bush song, "Pi":

Smithsonian staff holiday party

Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement ... Here it comes ...

So, well, first off, this isn't Alice's Restaurant in the picture. No, of course it's Tom's, as in the Suzanne Vega song. And a fine NYC restaurant it is with an iconic wrap around sign.

But what I really wanted to talk about is the draft, whoops, no, yes, that's Alice's.

But what I really wanted to talk about was 27 8x10 glossy photos. Yes, that could be my favorite part of the song we're talking about. Yes indeed, it's those 27 photos that I regularly reference in conversation whenever the subject of evidence some comes up, and yes my friends, if only enough of you reference those 27 photographs, well, you know, well it might just become a movement. So, next time it comes around, I want you to all join in and reference those 27 8x10 color glossy photos what with the arrows and ... well, you know the story, it's Thanksgiving. Watch where you put your trash and keep an eye out for Officer Obie. And here it comes ... "You can get anything you want ..."

"... and they took twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us. Took pictures of the approach, the getaway, the northwest corner the southwest corner and that's not to mention the aerial photography." - Arlo Guthrie, "Alice's Restaurant" 

Don't forget, today is National Feral Cat Day

Possible feral, Santa Fe, NM

Today is National Feral Cat day.

Learn more about the day at Alley Cat Allies:

"Alley Cat Allies created National Feral Cat Day® a decade ago to promote humane care for feral cats. Our efforts to share information and educate others on the importance of Trap-Neuter-Return have been supported year after year by caring individuals and groups--in tiny towns, in big cities, and in places in between! Last year advocates hosted hundreds of events nationally and around the world. We want to top that in 2012—join us! Whether you’re holding a one-time event to raise money or awareness, or working toward sustainable change for cats in your community with ongoing projects or initiatives, we welcome your efforts! Helping cats starts with you!"

And the autumnal equinox begins right ... and right ... NOW!

At least for those of you on the East Coast of the U.S.!

06:49 Eastern, sun passing over the equator, look up.

Here's to Fall!

Still time to take advantage of National Waffle Day (August 24)

August 24, 2012 is
National Waffle Day
It’s National Waffle Day! On this day in 1869, a man named Cornelius Swartwout received the first U.S. patent for a waffle. Waffles are a delightful breakfast food and can be paired with almost any topping. Butter and maple syrup, fruit and whipped cream, a big scoop of ice cream, or even a helping of fried chicken—the choice is yours! 

Did you know that the first waffles originated in Ancient Greece? It’s true! The Greeks would cook flat cakes called “obelios” between two metal pans held over a fire. Today, all you need is a waffle iron and a yummy recipe for waffle batter.

To celebrate National Waffle Day, cook up some homemade waffles and have breakfast-for-dinner tonight! Enjoy!

In honor of today's waffly-ness, here are some photos of waffles I have had:

Texas Shaped (not sized) Waffle


Authentic Belgium Waffles in Brussels

Another dollar, another National Donut Day

Another year and another National Donut Day rolls around.

Here's my favorite spot to stop for donuts when I'm at the Missouri Botanical Garden: Worlds Fair Donuts! 

Learn more about National Donut Day.

Because nothing says "He is risen" like a giant rabbit in a bow tie ...

Happy Easter

Eggstra texture

Busy St. Paddy's Day in Arlington

If you had the luck of the Irish, you'd be sorry and wish you were dead

(One of John Lennon's least inspired songs! But, if the Irish have to live with all the corny St. Paddy's day paraphernalia, well ... I guess it could be worse!)

Lennon "Luck of the Irish" continues ...

You should have the luck of the Irish
And you'd wish you was English instead!
A thousand years of torture and hunger
Drove the people away from their land
A land full of beauty and wonder
Was raped by the British brigands!
Goddamn! Goddamn!

If you could keep voices like flowers
There'd be shamrock all over the world
If you could drink dreams like Irish streams
Then the world would be high as the mountain of morn

In the 'Pool they told us the story
How the English divided the land
Of the pain, the death and the glory
And the poets of auld Eireland

If we could make chains with the morning dew
The world would be like Galway Bay
Let's walk over rainbows like leprechauns
The world would be one big Blarney stone

Why the hell are the English there anyway?
As they kill with God on their side
Blame it all on the kids the IRA
As the bastards commit genocide!
Aye! Aye! Genocide!

If you had the luck of the Irish
You'd be sorry and wish you was dead
You should have the luck of the Irish
And you'd wish you was English instead!
Yes you'd wish you was English instead!