OCTOBERFEST

A GERMAN EVENING 

The local dining group assembled for the 
13th Movable Feast, Octoberfest.

The beautiful setting of family china, silver,

service, linen and lace added an authentic charm.

 THE MENU

German Potato Salad and Bratwurst

Gurkens, Creamed Herring, Cucumber Salad

Red Cabbage

Spargel (White Asparagus with Hazelnuts),

Butter Salad

Potato Pancakes with apple sauce & sour cream

Dark Rye and Light Rye Bread

Sauerkraut & Pork

Saurbraten

Konighsbergerklopse (Veal meatballs in caper sauce)

Spaetzel

Apple Cake with Cream

Hazlenut Cake

Mohnkucken (poppy seed tort)

Haselnut Cakronen

Beverages

Moonstone Gewurtzaminer

Lone Madrone Old Hat (zin-petite sirah-barbera)

Ravenswood Merlot

Spatten Premier Lager

Hoffbra Original


I am always amazed at the extraordinary talent
of this group.  It continues to exceed any restaurant anywhere. 
But now I'm going to do some heavy exercise! 
See you down the trail.

A BAD SOURCE COULD HAVE IT RIGHT

A CONTRADICTION IN A TIME

OF FAILING MEDIA

Something to remember about the confused media today is that just because it comes from a source with a point of view, does not mean that it is not right.  Fox gets things right.  MSNBC gets things right.  So do all of the nets and even many on line sources despite the fact that some, too many  to my liking, have staked out a political or philosophical skew. Amongst the chaff is some real wheat but you must discern.

It used to be easier when journalists cared about

information first, before the tyranny of ratings

and the need to be a "profit center."

Objectivity used to matter.

Unless you only read the Economist and watch the BBC, about the only way you are going to get "the straight news" is to consume information from all over the spectrum.  We should be doing that anyway, but most of us rely on the same old...

Glass-Stegall ?  Remember your history?  Here's something the OWS has done well. Regardless of the "commercial like" close consider the historic clips and the point they make about banks.

Here's the wikipedia paragraph that lays it out.  Look what the repeals did and consider those in light of credit default swaps and other such scams.  The point is, we had strong economic growth without devastating recession UNTIL we began "repealing" and de-regulating.

The Banking Act of 1933, Pub.L. 73-66, 48 Stat. 162, enacted June 16, 1933, was a law that established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in the United States and introduced banking reforms, some of which were designed to control speculation.^[1] It is most commonly known as the Glass–Steagall Act, after its legislative sponsors, Senator Carter Glass (D–Va.) and Congressman Henry B. Steagall (D–Ala.-3). Some provisions of the Act, such asRegulation Q, which allowed the Federal Reserve to regulate interest rates in savings accounts, were repealed by theDepository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980. Provisions that prohibit a bank holding companyfrom owning other financial companies were repealed on November 12, 1999, by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, named after its co-sponsors Phil Gramm (R, Texas), Rep. Jim Leach (R, Iowa), and Rep. Thomas J. Bliley, Jr. (R, Virginia).^[2][3]

The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which accepted deposits. The deregulation also removed conflict of interest prohibitions between investment bankers serving as officers of commercial banks.

We may not always like the source, but we are served by

remembering that sometimes the truth can come

in thorny packages.  Very few of the Old Testament

prophets would have won a popularity contests.

Political dialogue in the US has been hijacked by ideologues, zealots, hacks and cable news "personalities."  While most of it is bilious and not worth your time,

some of it is necessary to fully understand all points of

view, even those with which you disagree.  And

some of it is probably right, from time to time.

Even if the media is less objective than it should be

you can be as objective as you allow yourself in

considering, really considering, honestly considering,

all points of view.  You can always rest in your

 view, and if you've allowed opposing thoughts to

cross your mind and it has not nudged you a bit,

then you can take solace in the knowledge.

An open mind wont hurt.

See you down the trail.

 

SIMON UPDATE-THE BAND

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SOUND

We are still buzzed by the incredible Paul Simon

concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl.  I know

Phil Spector created the so called "wall of sound" but 

Simon's touring band creates a wall that wraps around you

and then boogies its way into your spine.

The playbill did not list the players and Paul's

introduction came at the end of the third encore and I didn't get the names.  Music News Net to the rescue-

His touring band for the run includes Cameroonian guitarist Vincent Nguini, pianist Mick Rossi, drummer Jim Oblon, saxophonist & keyboardist Andrew Snitzer, bassist Bakithi Kumalo, guitarist Mark Stewart, master percussionist Jamey Haddad and multi-instrumentalist Tony Cedras.

A STROLL AND PAUL SIMON IN SANTA BARBARA

CENTRAL COAST CLASSIC

Nature provided one of those great California October days. Perfect for an afternoon of people watching in Santa Barbara as a prelude to an evening with Paul Simon.

 A sun kissed day watched over by the surrounding mountains.

 The principal reason for the trip to Santa Barbara was to see Paul Simon at the Santa Barbara Bowl. A trip to the bowl is a great outing.

Once you park you begin a bit of climb, with the option of a ride in a Santa Barbara Bowl pedicab.

 The historic bowl is a beautiful venue.

I'm sorry for the poor quality of the photos. It was twilight,

we were walking up, as in climbing, and the shots are rushed.

 The landscape settings at the Bowl are beautiful

and unique.

 The walk into the Bowl is a good cardio workout.

 In this case, the cliche is true-there is not a bad seat in the house.

 The opening act, the Secret Sisters from Muscle Shoals

were outstanding.  They have a great future.

 Then the newly 70 year old Paul Simon rocked the house.

 He is an extraordinary artist and performer.  The audience

was in rapt attention and in motion as Simon and his 

superb ban moved through a play list that chronicled his hit laden career.  

 With the exception of Sounds of Silence which came in 

the third encore, everything they played had you either

seat dancing or up and moving.  

 I've been lucky to see many major acts

in a variety of venues.  Paul Simon at the 

Santa Barbara Bowl is one of the highlights.

There was a great California vibe between

artists and audience and it was a special night.

Three encores that were as good as some

full shows.

Still Crazy after all of these years. 

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) HISTORY WITH A SMILE

A RAP, A SHILL

IT'S HISTORY, STILL

I loved history as student, in a general sense.  Certain

treaty dates gave me trouble, but as movements of

 human adventure, it was fascinating.  It still is.

In the spirit of the THE WEEKENDER :) we present

a couple of video takes on history

and contemporary events. 

Enjoy.

Can't you imagine how Lin-Manuel's "style of lecture"

could connect with kids today?

Now, for you adults, here is a social commentary

about the Occupy movement. 

Talk about speaking the truth!!!

Have a good weekend.

See you down the trail.

FINALITY AND A LIFTING FOG

WAS HE REALLY CRAZY?

A couple of friends who worked in 

national security roles are convinced

that Moammar Ghadhafi was 

as they said "certifiably" crazy.

For years, they contend, some in the 

military and intelligence communities

operated on the assumption that he was. 

Others thought he was just another military

strongman, become tyrant, insisting on 

his demands, and was a loose canon.

I'm hopeful that key information will now

emerge as to what we really knew about his sanity.

He was an intriguing and volatile player.

His fate caught up with him.

Day Book

Ethereal Moments

In a tribute to the old line

"first you see it, now you don't."

The morning fog filtering away plays a 

kind of hide and seek.

 From the Estero bluff, Morro Rock and the power stacks

are barely seen.

 If you squint, you might see the stacks as phantoms

above the buoy. 

 And below, Hollister Peak seems to disappear.

See you down the trail.

CUBA FILE-ST. LAZARO

 A PLACE OF FAITH-

A UNIQUE MIX

       (Rincon Cuba) Twenty miles from Havana, cultures cross
in a unique Cuban practice of faith and healing.

      Tens of thousands of Cubans make pilgrimages to St. 

 Lazarus for healing and acts of devotion.  The church is 

 named for Saint Lazarus (Lazaro in Spanish), a Catholic Bishop.

      The ill, lame and blind, walk, crawl, come by car or buggy.

       Here at Rincon, Cuban folklore has morphed the traditional St. Lazaro.  Babalu Aye, an Afro-Cuban deity in Santeria and St. Lazaro have been blended.  According to Santeria Babalu assumes all the sickness of his people, thus the crutches of the blended St. Lazo/Babalu Aye. 

      Icons of other Santeria and blended Catholic-Santeria saints  are sold in the plaza.  Pilgrims bring them gifts including cigars.  Several of the icons are depitcted with cigars.

     The poor, some of whom have sacrificed to make the pilgrimage beg so they may buy flowers or other gifts to leave for Babalu Aye/St. Lazaro. Others seek healing in a
grotto called the Living Waters.

      Many accounts abound of miraculous healings provided by the water.  Some of the pilgrims bring empty bottles and casks.  Others pray and then anoint or drink.

      The church conducts normal Roman Catholic masses and services.  The Cuban government has never banned the services nor the pilgrimages to St. Lazaro.

      See you down the trail.