I watched a travel-culture show on PBS last night. The location: Korea’s countryside. I was intrigued with the unusual splendor when it dawned on me that I’d not seen these kind of images before (save for a B/W text book “war/conflict” photo still). This video offered exotic and foreign views of a land and people. Those portrayed lived rurally as simple farmers, hunter/gatherers, and villagers with their lives utterly dominated by food procurement ,its ritualized preparation and the consumption thereof. It was amazing watching the life style culinary habits of these people, The rice,soy beans, veggies and mushrooms — Yumeee. The dried fish, centipede dust or dried frog jerky? Pass! The silkworm larvae were billed as a favorite treat for the youngsters. The program host tried a market sample and understated that it was the most distasteful flavor ever. BTW, I’m not poking fun at these people (the meat; sure). Just the opposite. I admire them for their cultural discipline, ecological and environmental harmony. For anyone considering a diet or weightloss program, just get thee to this place. I can guarantee you’ll be thin as a rail.

When I was eatin’ ’em you couldn’t get the free ClubDbllTreeChocolateChips to save your life. The front desk offered up every excuse why they were always out. Check with us in the AM. (and of course they’d give you the confused look when you did, saying that they are not out until after 2pm – well past checkout) Sometimes I would think about changing into my anonymous clothes and sneak back to the front desk just to see if the other customers were getting them.

Well, at tonight’s sign-in they were feeling guilty or sorry or something and they gave us extras. I gave mine to my crew 🙁 That hurt. I picked a fine time to quit cookies.

The Air China 747 crashed into the sea last week got scant attention. Third world airline. Third world people, with 200 sum/odd lost. The I40 bridge collapse by contrast and with a dozen or so cars and trucks that fell, gets the focus. Is that because there are better pictures? Is that because you and I have traveled that route and crossed that very same bridge? Is that because American lives are more valuable than those of the Third world?

The newspaper reports that the victims were found trapped in their vehicles. I don’t like the description trapped. They weren’t anymore able to ‘swim out of the wreckage then those unfortunates in the airliner. Seat belted in perhaps but not trapped. They were all killed by the impact.

It’s would seem a win/win but it rings hollow. The Bush/Putin document is only three(3) pages in length. Sounds more like a memorandum of understanding, an agreement to agree. Work out the nasties later. Like: disposal? Who’s going to insure that the active ingrediants don’t arrive on the black (weapons) market or poison the environment? IMHO I would think that the cost to destroy exceeds the original cost to deploy. Further along those lines I would think that our side is making a little cash donation toward the effort. No?

I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt: I’m sure he is quite capable of performing his duties. My co-worker, Chris, is not the sharpest fork in the drawer. I feel badly. Nice guy and seemingly happy in life he aspires to progress his career. He’s got this awful backwoods Carolina dialect. It may block him from ever getting a mainline (real) job. He can speak before the public, his briefings are alright, but when he’s one on one with you — it’s pure meaningless incoherent chatter and babble (along with that sappy drawl). I can’t stand it. I have to excuse myself and get far away.

An entire generation, past 30 now, has never lived in a world without Camaros. (!) (Cory Farley-autoweek columnist)

Us boys who like swashbucklin’ action flicks give a thumbs up to StarWars. This is not a spoiler but I will say that this latest episode gives closure and understanding to the master story line. Sound, graphics and the scenescapes blew us away. After awhile you realize that your mind has gone numb from the artistry and special effects. You can’t take in everything from just one viewing. The previous films are obsolete by comparison. I can’t imagine how they will ‘top’ this effort but the way video computing technology continues to evolve, episode V will dazzle. The StarWars franchise is guaranteed.

Survivor’s Marquesas finale on Sunday night was such a disappointment. Pappy, (retired judge and credible) got bounced with a rigged ‘lady luck test’. Claiming all along there was no race card Vecepia struck a nerve. She lectured us on the distinction between bond and alliance and that there was never a bond, further offering that she’d stabbed her soul mate at least a couple of times as evidence. She held to her story until *AFTER* she claimed her prize. Finally the duo fesses that ‘hell yeah the brothauhs and sistahs gotta stick togethah’. Next comes the spiritual card and she’s ducking behind her religion and GOD declaring that he was on her side With our victor alternately falling to the ground and holly roller dancing declaring her faith and thanking Jesusss I had to reach for the remote. The jokes on us. To be fair to them, all cast members were weasels. Lies and treachery makes for good TV (sigh). We was robbed.

Notice how the dread pop-up ad windows now park themselves just off the right side of your screen with the close button beyound mouse’s reach? How annoying is this! Have the web programers convinced their marketing exec customers that their pesky intrusive message will be marooned there to be read over and over until the user shuts down his pc? (Would any one actually buy something from such a devious advertiser) Well, I think that they will succeed in helping all of us in learning OS shortcuts.

• dbbl click the very top left corner of the title bar of the errant window
• click it once and select from the short list in the dialog box e.g. XClose
• with the window active (click once on the title bar) hit Alt F4
• right click the open app on the task bar and select close

Did I leave out any? Soon even our mommas will be forced to become power users!