
It has been quite warm recently. Last night we went out to eat without a jacket, and today we went walking on the beach in t-shirts. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-29-indian-summer/536691485_f9b2b6db9a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2813.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-29-indian-summer/536691485_b54f86c682.jpg" alt="CIMG2813.JPG"/>
</a>

This view of some bipedal and quadrupedal neighbors illustrates the type of [Indian Summer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer) we're having. Check that link for some interesting etymological theories.

The high on Monday is 25° C (77° F).


Indian Summer


A picture from the archives takes us back to the summer of '04. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-27-avuncular-love/280515505_afe31436a8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Avuncular Love">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-27-avuncular-love/280515505_afe31436a8.jpg" alt="Avuncular Love"/>
</a>

**Avuncular Love** - Uncle Ramón and Aunt Inés embrace (and embarrass?) their eldest niece, Marga, in August, 2004.

In Spain, the extended family is often very closely knit. Ramón and Inés have lived in the same apartment building as Marga's parents for over 25 years. This is changing, however, as young graduates are having to move away from their families to find work in their studied fields.

In Spanish, the words for uncle and aunt ("tí­o" and "tí­a") are also the slang equivalent to English's "guy" or "dude". So a common greeting among youths is, "¡Qué pasa, tí­o!". ("What's up, dude!")


Avuncular Love


The sunset just now was particularly nice. So I snapped a few pics. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536687015_c82b17f658_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2805.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536687015_34d28ad053.jpg" alt="CIMG2805.JPG"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536687825_6961f9550f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2807.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536687825_06660e05f7.jpg" alt="CIMG2807.JPG"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536573874_9cd0362aed_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2808.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536573874_a47e08cf20.jpg" alt="CIMG2808.JPG"/>
</a>

This was reaching as far out the balcony as I care to.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536574494_946ec454b3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2809.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536574494_25dd2098fd.jpg" alt="CIMG2809.JPG"/>
</a>

But that I realized I could go into the stairwell and get a better angle.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536575364_8e011ae180_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2810.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536575364_4bdd9626c4.jpg" alt="CIMG2810.JPG"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536576152_20d52fc079_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2812.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-26-sunset-pics/536576152_ce82c69fae.jpg" alt="CIMG2812.JPG"/>
</a>

The sky's on fire!

Hasta mañana, Señor Sol!


Sunset Pics


When we visit Marga's folks, we sometimes bring back some very traditional Spanish food that Marga's mother makes for us. Today, I found this staring up at me from my bowl of garbanzo-bean soup... <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-25-hey-little-piggy/536686661_5696425ae4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2788.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-25-hey-little-piggy/536686661_3b2fe1a03a.jpg" alt="CIMG2788.JPG"/>
</a>

I ate it all. The pig snout, not the bones. Sometimes we get pig ears too. It's all good!

That black thing is [morcilla](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morcilla), quite possibly my favorite Spanish delicacy.


Hey, Little Piggy!


This plugin provides a simple way to embed Revver videos into a Wordpress blog.

[wp-revver.tar.gz](/downloads/112/wp-revver.tar.gz)

### Features

- Simple to configure
- Include your affiliate code to make money off referrers
- Choose between two players:
    - Flash
    - Quicktime
- Choose between two different flash skins:
    - Revver 1.0
    - Revver 2.0
- Optionally uses javascript to avoid XHTML-prohibited tags, maintaining the standards compliance of your blog
- Optionally uses a video thumbnail as a place holder to speed up page loading
- Adds a button when writing posts to easily insert the required code

### Requirements

- A [WordPress](http://wordpress.com/) Blog
- A desire to share videos with the world

### Installation

1. Download the plugin here: [wp-revver.tar.gz](/downloads/112/wp-revver.tar.gz) (16 kB)
2. Unzip the plugin into your /wp-content/plugins directory.
3. Activate the plugin in your WordPress admin.
4. Configure the plugin under the Options tab in your Wordpress admin ([see screenshot](#screenshot))
5. Add the code "revver(12345)" where 12345 is the number of the video on Revver.

### Screenshots

![Options Screenshot](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-24-revver-wordpress-plugin/538544111_1af82b76fe_o.jpg "The options screen")

### Change History

1.3

2007-05-17

[Tim Gallagher](http://www.thephppro.com/) provided a bug fix for the options page. Thanks, Tim!

1.2

2006-12-07

Added ability to choose flash skin.

1.1

2006-10-30

Added affiliate ID option

1.0

2006-10-24

Original version

### Who's Using It?

- [blog.revver.com](http://blog.revver.com/?p=320) - Revver's official blog
- [BrianWill.net](http://brianwill.net/blog/) - a blog for [LearnProgramming.tv](http://www.learnprogramming.tv/wiki/)
- [clippystunts.com](http://www.clippystunts.com/) - Clippy, the clothes pin stuntman
- [spondicious.com](http://spondicious.com/) and [Bet Fair Trader](http://wizardgold.com/wordpress/) - Wizardgold's blogs
- [Alsoran](http://alsoranland.com/) - Music for Race Horse Lovers

Send me an email at the address below if you would like to be added or removed from this list.

### Why not use the Official Revver Wordpress Plugin?

Almost a year after I released this plugin, Revver has released a [Wordpress plugin of their own](http://revver.com/go/wp/). What's the difference and which one should you choose?

My plugin is _MUCH_ simpler and cleaner for popping a video into a blog post using the video ID. The Official Plugin is much more bloated and does a lot more with organizing your video library from inside the Wordpress admin, allowing visitors to post video responses as comments, seeing earnings without going to revver.com, etc. You can think of my plugin as the "light" version for people that don't want to mess with all that other crap. I sure don't.

### Questions and Comments

You may leave questions and comments on this blog, or email them directly to me at erikwordpressplugins -at- gmail.


Revver Wordpress Plugin


This is a song that I wrote a few years ago. On the face of it, it's about deciding whether or not to cheat on your lover, but that's not what it's really about. It's really a song about making any life-changing decision. revver(85504)

[Download MOV (10.33 MB)](http://media.revver.com/broadcast/85504/download/20700)

[Download MP3 (4 MB)](/downloads/111/Stay_or_Go.mp3)

### Lyrics

> 'Twas not long ago that I thought I'd spend the rest of my days with you. Never even thought of anyone else. You were my world.
> 
> But then I met somebody new. She was different, she was exciting. Not the you that I knew you so true, 'Cause every minute with her was like a dream.
> 
> Should I leave you to be with her? Should I stay with you and never know What it could be like to be with her? Should I stay or should I go?
> 
> But then I woke up to your reality, And I remembered where I was. Trapped in your arms and oh so alone, Thinking about her...
> 
> Should I leave you to be with her? Should I stay with you and never know What it could be like to be with her? Should I stay or should I go?
> 
> I know life with you. And I know how it would be. But I don't really know her, and I don't really care, 'Cause every minute with her is like a dream.
> 
> Should I leave you to be with her? Should I stay with you and never know What it might be like to be with her? Should I stay with you and never know What it could be like to be with her? Should I stay or should I... Should I stay or should I... Should I stay or should I go?


Stay or Go


I have come up with a way to accomplish [multiple inheritance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_inheritance)1 in [Java](http://java.sun.com/) using interfaces with static inner classes, which I will now present to you. First we need to define a problem that requires multiple inheritance. Let us suppose that I have a superclass, DbObject, that allows its subclasses to be loaded from and saved to the database. We also have two abstract subclasses of DbObject, ProjectADbObject and ProjectBDbObject which provide project specific functionality to all the DbObjects of each project ([see class diagram](#classdiagram)). Now let's assume that both projects need a DbObject that can represent a tree structure, say Folder and Category for Project A and Project B respectively. This tree structure is represented by an interface that we will call SelfParenting. Like so:

public interface SelfParenting
{
  SelfParenting getParent(Database db) throws DbException;
}

Note that to fetch the actual instance, not just the foreign key reference, of our parent, we require the database.

So we have our two classes:

public class Folder extends ProjectADbObject
  implements SelfParenting
{
  private ForeignKey<Folder> parent;
  ...
  public Folder getParent(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return db.fetch(parent);
  }
  ...
}

and

public class Category extends ProjectBDbObject
  implements SelfParenting
{
  private ForeignKey<Category> parent;
  ...
  public Category getParent(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return db.fetch(parent);
  }
  ...
}

Obviously, we're going to want more functionality than just getParent() if our interface is going to be useful. What about methods for getting the children or the depth in the tree? So we add these to our interface:

public interface SelfParenting
{
  SelfParenting getParent(Database db) throws DbException;
  SelfParenting\[\] getChildren(Database db) throws DbException;
  int getDepth(Database db) throws DbException;
}

And this is where we run into the multiple inheritance wall. The implementation of getChildren() and getDepth() require more than one line, and the code will be exactly the same in both Folder and Category. First, let's look at what the code might look like for the Folder class:

public class Folder extends ProjectADbObject
  implements SelfParenting
{
  private ForeignKey<Folder> parent;
  ...
  public Folder getParent(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return db.fetch(parent);
  }

  public Folder\[\] getChildren(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    final Collection<Folder> children =
      new ArrayList<Folder>();
    for(final Folder folder : db.fetchAll(Folder.class))
    {
      if(folder.getParent(db).equals(this))
        children.add(folder);
    }
    return children.toArray(new Folder\[0\]);
  }

  public int getDepth(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    int depth = 0;
    Folder folder = this;
    while(folder.getParent() != null)
    {
      depth++;
      folder = folder.getParent(db);
    }
    return depth;
  }
  ...
}

Obviously, the code will be identical in the Directory class. Is there any way to avoid this code duplication? What if we put the code into static methods of a static inner class of the interface? Like so:

public interface SelfParenting
{
  SelfParenting getParent(Database db) throws DbException;
  SelfParenting\[\] getChildren(Database db) throws DbException;
  int getDepth(Database db) throws DbException;

  public static class Impl
  {
    public static <T extends SelfParenting>
    T\[\] getChildren(final Database db, final T parent)
      throws DbException
    {
      final Collection<T> children = new ArrayList<T>();
      final T\[\] all = db.fetchAll(parent.getClass());
      for(final T possibleChild : all)
      {
        if(possibleChild.getParent(db).equals(parent))
          children.add(possibleChild);
      }
      return children.toArray(new T\[0\]);
    }

    public static int getDepth(final Database db,
                               SelfParenting node)
      throws DbException
    {
      int depth = 0;
      while(node.getParent() != null)
      {
        depth++;
        node = node.getParent(db);
      }
      return depth;
    }
  }
}

Then, the implementation of the new methods shrink down to one line:

public class Folder extends ProjectADbObject
  implements SelfParenting
{
  private ForeignKey<Folder> parent;
  ...
  public Folder getParent(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return db.fetch(parent);
  }

  public Folder\[\] getChildren(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return Impl.getChildren(db, this);
  }

  public int getDepth(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return Impl.getDepth(db, this);
  }
  ...
}

And so the proper implementation of Category will be the same:

public class Category extends ProjectBDbObject
  implements SelfParenting
{
  private ForeignKey<Category> parent;
  ...
  public Category getParent(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return db.fetch(parent);
  }

  public Category\[\] getChildren(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return Impl.getChildren(db, this);
  }

  public int getDepth(final Database db)
    throws DbException
  {
    return Impl.getDepth(db, this);
  }
  ...
}

By moving the common implementation of the getChildren() and getDepth() methods into the interface (via a static inner class), we have eliminated the duplication of code, thereby enhancing the maintainability and enabling future implementations of SelfParenting to be trivial one-line methods.

The code above is obviously very inefficient2, but it was provided to demonstrate a point: that the advantages of multiple inheritance can be achieved in java via this "static methods in a static inner class in the interface" coding pattern.

### Class Diagram

![Multiple Inheritance Class Diagram](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-23-multiple-inheritance-in-java/538540043_9b422165c1_o.jpg)

1Note that this accomplishes the code reuse feature of multiple inheritance _only_. In theory, you could get the effects of polymorphism by doing more than, or something other than, just call the static implementation in the interface.

2A proper implementation of getChildren() would involve SQL where clauses. There are also generics issues that would cause the code, as shown, to not compile. The concept remains sound.


Multiple Inheritance in Java


We went this past weekend to visit Marga's folks in Mondragon, because Marga had an orthodontist appointment. We can't remember the last weekend we spent at home. On a walk this morning, I snapped some pretty average photographs. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536678461_6ccc9f647c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2777.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536678461_559dbb3c12.jpg" alt="CIMG2777.JPG"/>
</a>

A river that runs through Mondragon. I suppose most valley towns have them.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536679911_af10a49b58_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2778.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536679911_b78cd0dd89.jpg" alt="CIMG2778.JPG"/>
</a>

A nicely maintained round-a-bout.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536681493_7d1f64acbc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2779.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536681493_d553284a3c.jpg" alt="CIMG2779.JPG"/>
</a>

Traffic island flora.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536682361_a08e04db4f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2780.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536682361_9bb1f2ed4b.jpg" alt="CIMG2780.JPG"/>
</a>

Some duckies in the stream.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536683397_10bd678b16_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2781.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536683397_c4c6937311.jpg" alt="CIMG2781.JPG"/>
</a>

These three were sleeping. I like how clearly you can see the building reflected. When you look this photo, your attention shifts between looking at the building and looking at the ducks, but you can't really look at them both at the same time. Kind of like a [Necker Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necker_cube).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536685045_c14399a5cb_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2783.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-22-a-few-mondragon-pics/536685045_38599615ac.jpg" alt="CIMG2783.JPG"/>
</a>

Do the Spanish know how to fill a glass of wine or what? This was taken at the Extremadura Culture Center where Marga's father has a few drinks with friends before lunch on Saturday and Sunday (and where the wedding party will take place). These drinks cost 0.40€ ($0.50) for non-members like me and 0.30€ ($0.38) for members, and today they came with a breaded shrimp that you see in the background. There's almost always some small snack with the drinks. Do you know of any bar where you can get pretty darn tipsy and snack for under $3.00?


A Few Mondragon Pics


Yesterday, when I tried to log into [Revver](http://www.revver.com/), I was told that my account did not exist. When I submitted this problem to their help system, they told me that my account had been suspended due to suspicion of click fraud, and that I had been emailed about it already. Sure enough, in my Junk email folder, I found this email:

> Subject: Account termination
> 
> Dear Sir,
> 
> We have detected suspicious activity that may be indicative of fraudulent click-through activity on a number of your videos in violation of section 5 of the Revver Terms of Use. As a result, we have suspended your account pending further investigation.
> 
> For your information, here is the relevant section of our Terms of Use which you have agreed to:
> 
> "You shall not, and shall not authorize any party to generate automated, fraudulent or otherwise invalid impressions or clicks. If, in Revver's reasonable business judgment, activity related to your Account is suspected or determined to be so-called "click-fraud" or "impression fraud" (the illicit manipulation of advertising revenue), whether in any automated or human way, by the use of a person, an automated script or a computer program (for example, online robots or "bots") to click on a Site advertisements, or any other fraudulent means, to increase impressions, skew results or imitate a legitimate user of a web browser clicking on an ad for the purpose of generating an improper click value and generating revenue, Revver may suspend or otherwise disable your Account until such time as the matter is resolved to Revver's satisfaction. You acknowledge that Revver, or a third-party designated by Revver, may use cookies to monitor visitor information in order to track suspicious clicks through source and behavior of the click traffic in accordance with the Privacy Policy ([http://www.revver.com/privacyPolicy/](http://www.revver.com/privacyPolicy/)). As further described in Section 3 ("Payment") of the Content Licensor Agreement, ([http://www.revver.com/contentLicensor](http://www.revver.com/contentLicensor)) Revver retains the right not to credit your Account for those clicks that it reasonably determines or suspects are fraudulent."
> 
> Yours Sincerely,
> 
> Ian Clarke Revver Inc.

Notice that it sounds much less like "suspension", and much more like "termination", even though they claim that they will do some sort of investigation using cookies. Personally, it doesn't sound like they care that much about proving my innocence.

I, of course, know myself to be innocent. However, I did notice, [and blog about](/2006/10/09/sunset-timelapse/), some suspicious results on my account page recently. If any one of you, my dear blog readers, are clicking multiple times on my videos, or clicking on every video, please stop.

This "guilty until proven innocent" policy really sucks when you are the one accused. It's not even remotely fair. I can only imagine how the folks at Guantanamo must feel.

I understand the need to avoid click fraud. And by all means, put my account in "cookie tracking" mode for a week or two, until the malicious IP address can be located and the clicks from said IP expunged from my earnings. But disabling my login and talks of "termination" seem too extreme to me.

I've done nothing wrong, and treating your customers this way is not a good way to maintain a good business.


Accused of Fraud


On our last day in New York City, we only had one remaining tourism target: the UN. Be sure to check out parts [1](/2006/10/16/lower-manhattan/), [2](/2006/10/16/empire-state-building/), and [3](/2006/10/17/fifth-avenue/). On Sunday, October 15, 2006, we packed our bags and checked out of the hotel. They let us leave our two bags in a storage room for an additional $5/bag, where it was available to all other storage room users. We still told the airport security that it had been in our possession since we packed it.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536519090_cdf157b6cd_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2744.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536519090_7e1b20b09c.jpg" alt="CIMG2744.JPG"/>
</a>

A quick glance towards Grand Central Station on the way to the UN.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536634763_c63f89e8a4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2745.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536634763_a385f4e990.jpg" alt="CIMG2745.JPG"/>
</a>

This sculpture has to be the most perfect symbol for peace in the 21st century. There was a bunch of [olive branch and white dove](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_symbol) imagery inside the UN, but you have to be well versed in mythology and symbolism to understand that. This sculpture, on the other hand, is as obvious as can be.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536521782_871e2ec7ce_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2746.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536521782_d6d22ae98e.jpg" alt="CIMG2746.JPG"/>
</a>

A ramp we remembered from [The Interpreter](http://imdb.com/title/tt0373926/). A good movie, by the way.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536637531_43a47fa026_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2748.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536637531_59620e292d.jpg" alt="CIMG2748.JPG"/>
</a>

A cool stained glass art.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536524740_d2a397323a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2749.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536524740_3d1243515e.jpg" alt="CIMG2749.JPG"/>
</a>

An olive tree.

We elected not to take the UN tour, but we did browse through some political cartoons they had hanging on the wall. I took some pictures of the best ones. You really should click on the images to see them better.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536526112_47dfecd2b5.jpg" alt="CIMG2750.JPG"/>
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The names of 2000 US soldiers killed in Iraq. How powerful is that?

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536641259_e515641570.jpg" alt="CIMG2751.JPG"/>
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I was reminded of Ze's [If The Earth Were A Sandwich](http://www.zefrank.com/sandwich/) campaign.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536642187_71eb43bd13.jpg" alt="CIMG2752.JPG"/>
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Maybe we should've stayed in the trees.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536643351_e968a458c5.jpg" alt="CIMG2753.JPG"/>
</a>

What a great wordless critique on the media.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536529994_dbe28187bf.jpg" alt="CIMG2754.JPG"/>
</a>

What's that big tower? That's the UN building as seen edge-on.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536645329_12459991a8.jpg" alt="CIMG2755.JPG"/>
</a>

Another thin building. How do these not blow over?

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536646897_3309ab5699.jpg" alt="CIMG2756.JPG"/>
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Photography fun with the sculpture.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536534386_d76d76476b.jpg" alt="CIMG2757.JPG"/>
</a>

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536536264_5099ef809e.jpg" alt="CIMG2758.JPG"/>
</a>

Saying good-bye to the UN building. We were disappointed that the flags weren't flying. South Korea's [Ban Ki-moon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ban_Ki-moon) was named as [Kofi Annan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Annan)'s successor while we were in New York. I don't know anything about the guy, but I'm happy that someone with a vested interest in keeping peace in the Korean peninsula was chosen.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536652247_edc24dae4a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2759.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536652247_a8cac174a0.jpg" alt="CIMG2759.JPG"/>
</a>

I never ceased to be amazed at how strange it is to have such tall buildings, but to then see all the way to the horizon down each street.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536653685_0069f1efbd.jpg" alt="CIMG2760.JPG"/>
</a>

A cool-looking Audi.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536541076_713f249951.jpg" alt="CIMG2761.JPG"/>
</a>

Back in Rockefeller Plaza, they had replaced all the flags. It was much prettier before, if you ask me. (Quick, put me in jail for not being a patriot!)

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536656833_dc183a676c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2762.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536656833_0653477a1a.jpg" alt="CIMG2762.JPG"/>
</a>

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536543842_0c7e8fc1e5.jpg" alt="CIMG2763.JPG"/>
</a>

It's zamboni time! [Zamboni](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_resurfacer) has to be one of the coolest words.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536661171_8644e91d7e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2765.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536661171_78b1a2583a.jpg" alt="CIMG2765.JPG"/>
</a>

Does anyone have any idea why these things have to be so big?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536545374_f758c3d369_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2764.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536545374_1100eacf29.jpg" alt="CIMG2764.JPG"/>
</a>

There were a bunch of firefighters around for some reason. A few people asked to have their picture taken with them. After 9-11, wearing FDNY gear makes you a celebrity. It was strange, though, because the firefighters were there taking pictures and acting like tourists and saying things like, "The ice rink looks a lot bigger on TV."

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536662801_3ab8ab044c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2766.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536662801_e7e446c889.jpg" alt="CIMG2766.JPG"/>
</a>

Looking towards that big concave mirror.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536664467_2412598bf4.jpg" alt="CIMG2769.JPG"/>
</a>

Marga and I loved just about every item in this store, which, as you can see, is across the street from Radio City Music Hall.

revver(80778) A cool spinny-thing in the window of the store.

We found a huge market going on the [Avenue of the Americas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenue_of_the_Americas).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536551354_44adf521fc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2770.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536551354_0237d69c7b.jpg" alt="CIMG2770.JPG"/>
</a>

Mmmm! Fresh fruit!

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536553086_05f00e8a4e.jpg" alt="CIMG2771.JPG"/>
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It stretched all the way to Central Park.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536669425_85f14935a0.jpg" alt="CIMG2772.JPG"/>
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More yummy-looking food.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536671029_7c00bd505a.jpg" alt="CIMG2773.JPG"/>
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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-18-the-united-nations/536672741_0d12891680.jpg" alt="CIMG2774.JPG"/>
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Some scary iron [stormtroopers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_stormtrooper).

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</a>

Some baseball fields in Central Park that I remembered seeing from the [Google Maps satellite imagery](http://maps.google.com/?q=New+York,+NY&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=40.770158,-73.977009&spn=0.002486,0.005053&t=k&om=1).

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</a>

We bought some coffee at this super-posh supermarket. It made our suitcase smell really nice. Marga claimed to smell it from the back seat of the taxi with the suitcase in the trunk (I slept for the whole ride to the airport). Surprisingly, the coffee was still there when we arrived in Spain.

Something interesting always happens to me in an airport when I'm returning from a vacation. This time it was after our plane landed in Madrid and we were walking like mindless sheep up escalators and down corridors. A woman behind me stopped us and said that a big wad of US twenties had just fallen on the floor and must belong to us. It was clearly at least $150 or $200. Unfortunately, I was half-asleep and slow-thinkingly said that it wasn't ours. My first instinct was to be a nice person and not an opportunistic one. Oh well. I would have made a nice dent in our trip expenses, or mostly paid for my new iPod.

We arrived home just before 1:00 PM on Monday. I worked until about 10:00 PM when my brain shut off. Marga had already been in bed for three hours. We were beat!

It was great trip. It's amazing that we were gone for so few days.

[« Go to Part 3](/2006/10/17/fifth-avenue/)


The United Nations - NYC 2006 - Part 4 of 4

Fifth Avenue - NYC 2006 - Part 3 of 4

Empire State Building - NYC 2006 - Part 2 of 4

Lower Manhattan - NYC 2006 - Part 1 of 4


I'm in the [Apple Store on Fifth Avenue](http://www.apple.com/retail/fifthavenue/week/20061008.html). That's all. I'll post a picture I just took with this iMac when I get home. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-14-blogging-from-apple-store/536224804_06d9b00c8e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Apple Store iSight Photo">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-14-blogging-from-apple-store/536224804_f857ba116e.jpg" alt="Apple Store iSight Photo"/>
</a>

I emailed this to myself and posted it upon return.


Blogging from Apple Store


I just fed a $1 bill into this computer and it gives me 10 minutes. We're pretty beat. Been walking all day long, up and down Manhattan. We went to the top of the Empire State Building this morning, and we've got tickets to a comedy club tonight that they will be filming for Comedy Central. Neato.

We did the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero yesterday. The latter was pretty moving.

Okay, that's it. My time is ticking away. Lots of good pics so far.

Back on Monday, unless this machine asks me for another dollar between now and then.

Bye. Or as the NYers say, "Hey, outta da way!!" :-)


Blogging from Hotel in NYC


I think I'll go to New York tomorrow... In what has to be the most spontaneous thing Marga and I have ever done, we just bought tickets to go to New York tomorrow. Our flight leaves in less than 11 hours. We'll be in New York by noon.

What better way to celebrate my 28th birthday and our -1 wedding anniversary?

As a coincidence, it will be exactly 10 years since the only other time I've been to the Big Apple. I spent my 18th birthday there with a bunch of people I didn't know from my college dorm on a school-organized trip. I went to the top of the World Trade Center last time. Probably won't this time.

We'll return on Sunday, with a camera full of pictures, no doubt.

I do all this for you, my dear readers...


Destination: Big Apple


I got my first Spanish traffic ticket this past weekend. It all happened like this... On Friday, October 6, 2006, we were about 60% of the way to Madrid. I was driving. Mother Nature picked up the phone and suggested to me that I stop to urinate. Marga was dozing, and when I started to slow down on the ramp up to a rest stop, she asked why we were stopping. I explained about my full bladder. At the top of the ramp, at the entrance to the parking lot, there was a police car, and the officers were standing outside the car. They waved me over and told me to stop.

They asked for my license and the registration and insurance documents for the car. I gave him my license and explained that I was American. The car's registration is in a nice wallet in the glove box, so we showed him that. But we couldn't find the insurance information. There were lots and lots of papers in the glove compartment, many of them from our insurance company. We found the receipt from the first year we paid, which expired in March 2006. The officer seemed patient and told us to look for another paper that looked like the expired one. We showed him paper after paper, and he said that none of them were the receipt that we needed. I asked politely if I could run inside to relieve myself, and when I returned, he was writing out a ticket.

He said that we had five days to go into a traffic office and demonstrate that we really had insurance. The fine for not having it with us would be about 60€ ($75). Before we parted, Marga explained to the officer just how idiotic she thought that particular law is. He gave a "Yeah, well..." shrug and got in his car.

I'm all for requiring drivers to have insurance. That makes sense to me. And having proof in the car also seems like a good idea. _However_, I don't think that a fine is necessary at all. I'm fine with having to demonstrate my insurance, but I think it should be possible over the phone. In England, you aren't even required to have your driving license with you in the car. If the cops stop you and have reason to doubt that you have a license, you are required to go into a traffic office and show your license, or fax a copy to them. That seems like a better system.

What really ticked me off about the whole thing was how these cops were just sitting there in the parking lot randomly selecting cars. How lazy can you be? Aren't there real crimes to be fighting?

So anyway, this morning Marga bursts into the bedroom at 8:00am and says that we're going to Santander (the nearest traffic office). She had already gotten up, gone in to work, and started looking more carefully through the papers that we had in the car and _found the insurance receipt_!!! One of the papers that we gave to the officer was the receipt, and he told us that it wasn't! So she had come back home to get me to go to Santander to resolve the problem.

The woman at the complaints desk was a typical government employee. She didn't want to hear our story past knowing which papers to make a photocopy of for someone else to deal with. Marga filled out a form explaining what happened, and we gave it to the woman. Marga didn't even get to use her line about how, if they didn't believe us, they could dust the insurance receipt for prints and find the officer's prints on it.

Who knows how many months and how much tax money will be spent fixing this lazy officer's mistake. We have learned that we should know which papers are the important ones to facilitate the search when asked for them. We should have been more responsible. But, the fact still stands, that we did not break any law. The law requires you to have them and show them to the officer when asked. It's _his job_ to know how to read them. And finally, the insurance company deserves some blame for this fiasco, because the actual paper doesn't look like what it is. It starts with "Dear Customer," and looks very much like a letter to the customer. And the dates of validity are hidden in the middle of a table of information, all in fine print.

I'd say it's about 50-50 on whether we'll have to pay the 60€ or not. All this, just because I had to pee...


Spanish Traffic Ticket


I took this video with my webcam over a year ago. It's cool to see the stars (or planet?) follow the sun after sunset. revver(60338)

But what I can't understand is the incredible success it's having on Revver.![Sunset Timelapse Revver Stats](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-09-sunset-timelapse/536334843_03146d0ad0.jpg)

It's averaging one click for every two views! On September 26, it had more clicks than views! How is that possible?

It's my second best performer, after the infamous [Ze Frank Parody](/2006/08/08/ze-frank-parody/).

Strange, huh?


Sunset Timelapse


We went to Madrid this weekend, to see a little more of the city and to visit with some friends that we don't get to see very often. Unfortunately, I was pretty lazy about taking my camera around with me. We had the most fun when it was dark out, anyway.

We stayed in a hostel (cheaper than a hotel) for 38€/night ($48/night). That's extremely cheap for a big city. We called them on Wednesday to make our reservations for Friday and Saturday night. The first thing the woman told us was, "The rooms don't have their own bathrooms. They're communal. Do you still want to stay here?" We've stayed in B&B's with communal loos in England, so that didn't scare us much, but it was the way she said it that was a little off-putting. When you're searching for cheap lodging in a city that you know nothing about, there's always some concern that you might end up staying in a hostile hostel. She also said that calling three days in advance was very strange, and that if we didn't call again on Friday afternoon, then she didn't trust us to actually show up. Clearly this woman has been burned before by denying people room at the inn and then having the rooms stay empty.

When we finally got there, we were pretty impressed. If I had to describe the place with only two words, they would be "ornate" and "victorian". There was incredibly elaborate molding all along the high ceilings and doors. The place was very old and creaky, but very clean and tidy. There were three huge bathrooms, with huge bathtubs. All were newly tiled and spotless. There weren't bathrooms on the rooms because it wasn't built to be a hotel. I never once found a bathroom ocupied, and never saw another guest. Our room smelled like stale cigarette smoke, and we were right on top of a nightclub. We didn't hear any music, but all through the night, drunken youngsters would come out of the club and forget that they didn't have to scream at each other over the music anymore. On both Friday and Saturday night, there was a steady raucous out the window from 10pm to 8am (the Spanish party all night). Surprisingly, we slept pretty well. Tourism will do that to you.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-08-weekend-in-madrid/536206456_610466ec71_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="AM vs. PM">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-08-weekend-in-madrid/536206456_5a0e11b8a1.jpg" alt="AM vs. PM"/>
</a>

I found this sign in our room humorous. Not because of the imperfect English, but because of the obviously Spanish misunderstanding of [ante meridiem](http://www.google.com/search?q=ante+meridiem).

In Spain, as my parents learned, you say "Good morning" as a greeting any time before lunch. And since lunch is usually eaten at 2:30pm or 3:00pm, it's incorrect to say "Good afternoon" to someone at 1:00pm. People will say "One in the morning" and mean 1:00pm. That's why I called the mistake "obviously Spanish".

Incidentally, almost everywhere where you see a time of day written down in Spain (and Europe), it's in 24-hour format. So if this sign had just said "12:00" instead of "12:00 AM", it would have been so much clearer. As with most typos, the meaning here is clear from the context. But that doesn't make it excusable...<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-08-weekend-in-madrid/536208696_857e97d011_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG2549.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-08-weekend-in-madrid/536208696_06e6364f5b.jpg" alt="CIMG2549.JPG"/>
</a>

Our room had a nicely tiled sink.


Weekend in Madrid


Here's a little song I wrote for my Grandmother's birthday tomorrow. The volume is low on the recording, so turn it up. revver(66067)

If you hear anyone repeating the melody to this song, tell them to stop or pay me royalties.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-06-happy-birthday-grandma/262190511_0280dfdf15_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Grandma and Me">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-06-happy-birthday-grandma/262190511_0280dfdf15.jpg" alt="Grandma and Me"/>
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Happy birthday, Grandma! May you have many more.


Happy Birthday, Grandma!


A few golf-related pictures made it to the front of my Flickr queue. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-05-some-golfing-pics/261417408_f833344fb3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jake In Paradise">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-05-some-golfing-pics/261417408_f833344fb3.jpg" alt="Jake In Paradise"/>
</a>

**Jake In Paradise** - Jacob playing Balcomie Links, in Crail, Scotland on October 14, 2005.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-05-some-golfing-pics/261418868_5ed9e83d42_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Silver Creek">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2006-10-05-some-golfing-pics/261418868_5ed9e83d42.jpg" alt="Silver Creek"/>
</a>

**Silver Creek** - I saw this golf cart in a shop window in London back in 2004.

I really don't know why I didn't buy this golf cart. Check out [the larger version](http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=261418868&size=l) to see all the detail. One of the courses in my home town, Morganton, NC, is named [Silver Creek](http://www.silvercreekplantation.com/golf_course.htm)1, so it would have special meaning for me.

1Their web designer has apparently never heard of a [JPEG](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG).


Some Golfing Pics


Gravedigger, over the past few years, become one of my favorite songs, to listen to, play, and think about. [Dave Matthews](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Matthews) won the [Best Male Rock Vocal Performance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Male_Rock_Vocal_Performance) Grammy for this song in [2004](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Awards_of_2004).

revver(66066)

### Lyrics

> Cyrus Jones 1810 to 1913 Made his great grandchildren believe You could live to a hundred and three A hundred and three is forever when you're just a little kid So Cyrus Jones lived forever
> 
> Gravedigger When you dig my grave Could you make it shallow So that I can feel the rain Gravedigger
> 
> Muriel Stonewall 1903 to 1954 She lost both of her babies in the second great war Now you should never have to watch Your only children lowered in the ground I mean you should never have to bury your own babies
> 
> Gravedigger When you dig my grave Could you make it shallow So that I can feel the rain Gravedigger
> 
> Ring around the rosey Pocket full of posey Ashes to ashes We all fall down
> 
> Gravedigger When you dig my grave Could you make it shallow So that I can feel the rain Gravedigger
> 
> Little Mikey Carson '67 to '75 He rode his Bike like the devil until the day he died When he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze Ohhh, 1940 to 1992
> 
> Gravedigger When you dig my grave Could you make it shallow So that I can feel the rain
> 
> Gravedigger When you dig my grave Could you make it shallow So that I can feel the rain Feel the rain I can feel the rain Gravedigger
> 
> Gravedigger

### Meaning

Anyone who has ever walked through a graveyard looking at gravestones has had the sensation of wondering what the person below your feet was like. But all you really know about them is two dates: birth and death. Sometimes you can determine the birth and death dates of their family members by looking at nearby stones. And the rest you have to imagine.

Every living thing has these two dates marking the beginning and end of life. You only get one birth and one death. Some people have incredibly long lives, like Cyrus Jones, and others have short and tragic lives, like Little Mikey Carson. Life is like a ball thrown in the air. It's not a question of whether or not it will hit the ground, but when and where. The short and long throws both hit the ground. Isn't that the gist of "Ring around the rosey"?

This song is a celebration of mortality. It's a celebration of the one common thing that we share with everything that has ever lived and ever will. The "so I can feel the rain" line expresses the desire to be close to nature and the pride of being part of its cycles.

I leave you with a quote that I recently found. When asked if he was afraid of dying, Mark Twain said:

> I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit.


22 posts from October, 2006