
<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-29-chiropractical/2534022022_f8ab451dff_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Bruised Ankle">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-29-chiropractical/2534022022_f13435dcc3_t.jpg" alt="Bruised Ankle"/>
</a>

On Monday, May 12, Marga sprained her ankle. She went to the gym, for the first time in May, paid her entire May subscription fee, and half way through her aerobics class, she sprained her ankle. Somehow, she managed to jump up and land with her right foot on top of her left, thus twisting the right foot so that the outside part of the foot hit the floor. She heard a loud _crack!_ and screamed out in pain.

She hopped back home, stood in the doorway, and yelled for me to get the car keys and take her to the emergency room. The emergency room doctors didn't do much but wrap it up in a bandage and tell her not to walk on it. Duh.

A couple days later, I knocked on our neighbor's door. The guy that lives in the apartment next door, I had learned from one of the nosy old ladies in the building, works as a massage therapist (_masajista_) in Laredo. It turns out that he was _exactly_ the person Marga's foot needed. He poked, prodded, asked specific questions about where it hurts and during what movement. After about five minutes of examination, he explained exactly what had happened, what to expect as far as pain and bruising, etc. It's so nice to see an expert in a field that you have no clue about being so confident in his element. He said that if the pain didn't go away after a week or so, then there could be more serious damage, like a broken tendon.

Two weeks later, that turns out to be the case. She can now walk a bit and drive herself to work (thank god!), but she's still in a lot of pain. Marga went to the doctor and has been referred to radiology sometime soon.

About this time, Marga, who rarely ever mentions anything that I write about on this blog, said to me, "What? My foot doesn't deserve a blog entry?!" The truth is that it _did_ deserve an entry to reach the point we have now. Because what I really want to write about is what follows. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-29-chiropractical/2534022022_f8ab451dff_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Bruised Ankle">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-29-chiropractical/2534022022_f13435dcc3.jpg" alt="Bruised Ankle"/>
</a>

We had been told that there was a really good _masajista_ in a little town with the funny name of [Apatamonasterio](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&ll=43.131808,-2.58595&spn=0.018666,0.029097&t=h&z=15&iwloc=addr) that we drive through unknowingly every time we go to my in-laws' house in Mondragon. On Saturday morning, we headed towards Mondragon with the intention of stopping in Apatamonasterio. We didn't have an appointment or know where this guy's office was or what his working hours were on Saturdays.

We stopped in the town and asked some bar hoppers where the _masajista_ was. They immediately knew who we were referring to and directed us where to park. Once parked, we asked another passerby where his office was:

> Us: "Where's the _masajista_'s office?"
> 
> Passerby A: "It's that door over there. But he's probably in the bar around the corner."
> 
> Passerby B \[walking from the bar\]: "No, I was just in there. He's not there. He was about 15 minutes ago, though. I'd try either of those two bars over there. But he lives in that house over there, so maybe you can ring the doorbell. He won't be there at this time, though."
> 
> Us: "Okay, thanks."

We headed for one of the two bars. Marga was too embarrassed/self-conscious to ask for the massage guy, so I went up to the bar and ordered a couple of small beers and asked.

> Me: "Excuse me, do you know where I can find the..."
> 
> Bartender: "_Masajista_? Yeah, he was just here. Hold on."

The bartender proceeded to pull out a cell phone and call the man we were looking for. He told us that he'd be right over, but that we should wait for about 15 minutes or so. At this point I was getting a little freaked out by the helpfulness of this little town in finding this man. Only later would I conclude that a large majority of his clients probably go through this procedure.

Eventually a 60-year-old man came in and the bartender pointed him out to us. I gulped down the remainder of my second beer and went to meet him. He said, "Hola," and sauntered up to a bar stool, took a seat, lit a cigarette, and ordered a big cocktail. I put some money on the bar for his drink as common courtesy since we had clearly interrupted him after his office hours, and he chatted mumblingly with us for a bit about anything except which one of us was injured and needed his help. A friend of his came in and my money ended up buying him a drink as well. Eventually he walked us out of the bar and towards his practice. As we walked, Marga said to me, in English, "I'm a little concerned about this man, who is clearly drunk, touching my foot."

We made it to his office, and he turned to Marga and said...

> _Masajista_: "Okay, take your top off."
> 
> Marga: "But it's my ankle that's sprained."_Masajista_: "I know. Take your top off."
> 
> Marga \[with her jacket and scarf thing off now\]: "Like this?"
> 
> _Masajista_: "Keep going."
> 
> Marga \[taking off her shirt, disbelievingly\]: "Bra too?"
> 
> _Masajista_: \[as if offended\] "No, of course not. Lie down on the table, face down."

He called me over to examine her boots. He explained that she was lying down perfectly straight, and that the heels of her boots were not even. Sure enough, there was about a half centimeter difference in the apparent length of her legs. He felt down her spine a bit, went to the side a couple centimeters, placed his elbow on her back, and brought down almost all his weight on his elbow. A big CRACK! Marga gasped, but was clearly not in pain for more than a second. He proceeded to do some other maneuvers with her on her side, twisting her back. More cracks and pops and gasps. I didn't know what to make of any of this, of course.

He told her to lie down on her stomach again and he demonstrated to me that her legs were now the same length. Sure enough, he'd definitely realigned some part of her body that was previously misaligned. This could have been a parlor trick, but I'm inclined to think that it wasn't. As Marga was donning her top again, he pulled out a 50+ year old text book and showed us how the nerves from the lower vertebrae run directly down to the ankle. We asked how much we owed him, and he said 30€. After we paid him, he brought out several bags full of cosmetic products, clearly gifts from pharmaceutical companies that he had no need for, and told Marga to take as much as she wanted.

We left his office and he invited us up to the bar next door for a drink. As he was mumbling away about some local restaurants we should try, I was noticing some bizarre blood vessel formations on his nose and cheeks. Marga later told me that those are a symptom of heavy alcoholism. We finished our drinks and headed on our way, our minds reeling at the strangeness of our morning experience.

### Reflections

First of all, the man we visited was not a "massage therapist", but what we, in English, call a chiropractor. Although perhaps those terms are blurred even in English. In my opinion, the vast majority of chiropractors are frauds. Most of them claim to be able to fix health problems using techniques that have never been proven scientifically. Marga went to one in Colindres before her accident that she described as "a big show": lots of nerve-tingling creams and showy ointments.

However, neither Marga nor I regret having visited and paid this man. There was no show to his act. He did what he did with no flare, going directly to the bones and muscles that needed attention, in his professional opinion. He clearly doesn't advertise or care that his office is a mess. People come to him via word of mouth because he actually cures people. In fact, my back and shoulders have been hurting more since watching him tune up Marga's back because I'm more aware of how misaligned I probably am. We might have to stop by there again sometime soon so I can get my vertebrae fondled too.

But the problems he solved were completely unrelated to the problem we needed fixed. I have no doubt that, for someone who started having ankle pains for no apparent reason, his procedures would help a lot and probably fix the problem entirely. But that's not Marga's case. She had a specific injury event that probably broke a tendon in her foot. The problem is that this chiropractor has had a career of fixing problems that conventional medical doctors could not, and has developed such a know-it-all hubris about his skills that he dismisses important information _like what actually happened to her foot_ as meaningless. His philosophy is that "As long as your spine is in harmony, the rest of your body will be healthy." Well, I'm sorry, but if I break your kneecaps, it doesn't matter how beautifully aligned your spine is.


Chiropractical


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530866708_998f3bb1be_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Giant Egg">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530866708_266bccce45_t.jpg" alt="Giant Egg"/>
</a>

Only recently have we had to buy eggs for the first time in Spain. That's because my father-in-law's hens are producing very few lately, apparently unaware of what fate awaits them if production ceases. But we still get some from him, but this is a first. It has got to be the largest chicken egg I've ever seen. Marga called [dibs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibs) on it before I even knew it existed.  <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530861258_8690282ba7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Giant Egg">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530861258_c78b9c1596.jpg" alt="Giant Egg"/>
</a>

A golf ball is used here for reference

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530866708_998f3bb1be_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Giant Egg">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530866708_266bccce45.jpg" alt="Giant Egg"/>
</a>

That thing is enormous! Yes, those are bottle caps.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530865272_baa02313fd_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Giant Egg">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530865272_0319954d67.jpg" alt="Giant Egg"/>
</a>

No, I'm not a hand model. Thanks for asking.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530869766_1f1b42878e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Giant Egg Frying">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-28-giant-egg/2530869766_7cb184ae25.jpg" alt="Giant Egg Frying"/>
</a>

We were not surprised to find that it had double yolks.

At least it wasn't a [snake egg](http://www.flickr.com/photos/isogloss/sets/72157604079330913/)!


Giant Egg


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-27-basque-storm/2527753827_2d32d7184d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Wet Railing">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-27-basque-storm/2527753827_293f19c311_t.jpg" alt="Wet Railing"/>
</a>

On Sunday in Mondragon, we had a tremendous thunderstorm come through and drop a ton of rain and hail. Luckily, we were all safe inside my in-laws' house. It sure was fun a _hail_ of a good time to watch.  Here's a video I took as we watched the storm from the balcony. The commentary by a giddy Marga makes the video pretty funny to watch. It's like she had never seen a storm before. This is my first attempt at subtitling. Most of the words uttered are either _¡mira!_ or _¡joder!_. The former means "look!" and the latter doesn't translate well into English.

Sorry about the large size of the player, but it's really worth viewing at full size. Or, if you prefer, this video is also available on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfE_N9hTpFQ), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1343702/), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7668259027690039613), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5knjq), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/939729), [Crackle](http://www.crackle.com/#id=2294896), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/Basque_Storm/), [Sclipo](http://sclipo.com/video/basque-storm) and [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/16/).

My wife, Marga, really is a very intelligent, sophisticated woman. I think that ability to turn into a giggling awestruck child at the sight of how amazing nature is is actually a feature, not a bug.


Basque Storm


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-26-first-images-from-phoenix-on-mars/2522826850_ec826ac6be_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="You need some attitude control.">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-26-first-images-from-phoenix-on-mars/2522826850_e8e0bfbc5f_t.jpg" alt="You need some attitude control."/>
</a>

I was really tired after coming back home from the in-laws' on Sunday, so I went to bed at 10pm, disappointed that I wouldn't get to witness the landing of the Phoenix spacecraft on Mars at 2am, Spain time. But then I woke up at 1am and couldn't resist getting up to tune into [NASA TV](http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/) to watch the landing. The more I learned about just what they were trying to do, the more amazed I became at the hubris that they thought they could actually pull it off. An entry heat shield, a parachute, strobing thrusters to decelerate from 100 m/s to 5 m/s for landing _while rotating to align perfectly east-west_, etc. How could they do that, completely automated, in an environment they can only model?  The actual 15 minutes from atmosphere entry to touchdown were more nail bitingly emotional for me than any close sporting match. I feel ridiculous for making such an unbalanced comparison in the previous sentence. The most important buzzer beater in the history of sports is so unbelievably trivial when compared to the scientific exploration of our solar system. One hundred years from now, no one will care who won the Superbowl, but the course of humanity will have directly been effected by the information gained as a result of tonight's successful Martian landing.

NASA may be bloated and have its problems, but nowhere will you find an organization so dedicated to planning for every possible system failure and having so many contingency plans to ensure success. I have the utmost respect for their planning and organization. There is no equal in the history of humanity.[![First images from Phoenix on Mars](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-26-first-images-from-phoenix-on-mars/229891main_phx(new)-landscape.jpg)](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html)

[![First images from Phoenix on Mars](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-26-first-images-from-phoenix-on-mars/229961main_combo-1-427.jpg)](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html)

[![First images from Phoenix on Mars](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-26-first-images-from-phoenix-on-mars/230121main_false_color_postcard_edr_516-387.jpg)](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html)

I'm so proud of my country right now.


First Images from Phoenix on Mars


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2513603970_1e9a21af55_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Ensaladilla Rusa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2513603970_0582440e6e_t.jpg" alt="Ensaladilla Rusa"/>
</a>

In the United States, you can find several mayonnaise-based salads: potato salad, tuna salad, and egg salad. In Spain, they don't really have any of that, but they do have Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian Salad). Ensaladilla Rusa is a combination of all of the above.

My wife had a Russian immigrant friend when she was a child and acquired intelligence that suggests that they really do eat this dish in Russia, but I have no other corroborating evidence. Personally, I have never seen this dish outside of Spain.

### Ingredients

- Potatos - boiled, peeled, and mashed
- Eggs - hard boiled
- Olives
- Peas
- Corn
- Tuna
- Canned Fried Peppers (pimentos)
- Salt
- Mayonnaise

### Instructions

1. Set aside a few of the ingredients to decorate the top.
2. Finely chop and mix all the other ingredients in a serving dish with a fork.
3. Flatten the top.
4. Put a very thin layer of mayonnaise on top to make it look white. (The rest of the salad is more gray.)
5. Decorate as you wish. I often go with radially symmetric kaleidoscope-like designs (see photos), but I've done smiley faces and hearts and things.

### Photos

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2512772285_ccbe3704b3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Peas and Corn">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2512772285_ab6dace85c.jpg" alt="Peas and Corn"/>
</a>

Peas and corn waiting to be sprinkled on top<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2513600856_f0b055fbc6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Ensaladilla Rusa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2513600856_99a569f0c0.jpg" alt="Ensaladilla Rusa"/>
</a>

The final product. Notice the radial symmetry.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2513603970_1e9a21af55_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Ensaladilla Rusa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-22-ensaladilla-rusa-russian-salad/2513603970_0582440e6e.jpg" alt="Ensaladilla Rusa"/>
</a>

Enjoy! It's a great side dish with any meat or fish.


Ensaladilla Rusa - Russian Salad


[![Scorpion Moon](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-21-scorpion-moon/902337.jpg)](http://revver.com/video/902337/affiliate/20700/scorpion-moon/)Last night, I took a timelapse video of the waning gibbous moon rising in the night sky using my [usual method](/2008/03/30/arcturus-rising/). Unfortunately the focus was a little off. Apparently "infinity" focus was inappropriate.

The moon was accompanied on its celestial journey last night by [Antares](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares), the 16th brightest star in the night sky, only a mere 600 light years away. Antares is the central star in the constellation [Scorpius](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpius), forming the center of the scorpion's cephalothorax. revver(902337) This video is also available on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmK19isbLQU), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1329987/), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1454948298225616804), [Revver](http://one.revver.com/watch/902337), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5i13f), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/923814), [Veoh](http://www.veoh.com/videos/v11999131ym6G5G5T), [Crackle](http://www.crackle.com/#id=2289280), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/Scorpion_Moonrise/), [Sclipo](http://sclipo.com/video/scorpion-moonrise) and [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/15/).


Scorpion Moon


Just four photos I've taken around the house recently: two of the natural world, and two of human creations. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2508723628_00db562825_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Countryside From My Window">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2508723628_d4f3d429c7.jpg" alt="Countryside From My Window"/>
</a>

The view of the nearby hills out my living room window. Those little white dots are sheep, I think.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2507898235_44a70901c7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Champagne">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2507898235_0d73265a88.jpg" alt="Champagne"/>
</a>

Clouds out the window through a champagne glass. We tried out our new champagne glasses that we got as a wedding gift, trying to get rid of that New Years champagne before June. I love how evenly spaced the bubbles are.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2507904473_5051564205_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="boqi pod!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2507904473_812c4cc4ba.jpg" alt="boqi pod!"/>
</a>

boqi pod! That's a funny word both backwards and upside down. My ancient mobile phone sitting on my ancient first gen iPod.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2507908647_f6fef65214_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="SantoÃƒÂ±a Sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-20-four-unrelated-photographs/2507908647_56df11be63.jpg" alt="SantoÃƒÂ±a Sunset"/>
</a>

Looking out my window towards Santoña. We can't see the sun as it sets this time of year.


Four Unrelated Photographs


[![Choppy Seas](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-18-too-much-phun/871717.jpg)](http://frame.revver.com/frame/170x128/871717.jpg)It might not be possible to have too much fun, but it's definitely possible to have to much Phun. [Phun](http://phun.cs.umu.se/wiki) is a "2D physics sandbox". What that means is that it allows you to draw shapes (circles, squares, or arbitrary freehand shapes) and then lets you bang them together using simulated physics laws. Check out the video at the link above for a demonstration.

Phun is exactly the kind of computer "game" that my brain adores. I used to play hours and hours of [The Incredible Machine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Machine), which is a very similar concept. For me, at least, Phun is _seriously_ addictive. It's like crack for Newtonian physics lovers. The windows version has been out for a while, but they just released the Mac version about week ago, and I've been like a kitten in a tub full of catnip ever since.

Oh, and it also lets you play with particles that mimic liquid water. Here are two of the more interesting creations I've made. The first video had to be sped up a lot because my computer couldn't render all those water particles very fast. For the second video, I added some sound effects. It'd be cool if Phun did sounds by itself.

revver(871717) The above video is also available on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jyYsnb5lk4), [Yahoo](http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2631581/7726734), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1301412/), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3257915345065121585), [Revver](http://one.revver.com/watch/871717), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5cj7w), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/888176), [Veoh](http://www.veoh.com/videos/v9121121npMjAHB5), [Crackle](http://www.crackle.com/#id=2275452), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/Choppy_Seas_in_Phunland/), [Sclipo](http://sclipo.com/video/choppy-seas-in-phunland) and [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/13/).

revver(891354) The above video is also available on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg_RnBQte9I), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1319962/), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=66673400368422102), [Revver](http://one.revver.com/watch/891354), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5g0io), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/912501), [Crackle](http://www.crackle.com/#id=2284338), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/Phun_Splasher/), [Sclipo](http://sclipo.com/video/phun-splasher) and [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/14/).

And, of course, there are thousands more videos like this on [you know what site](http://youtube.com/results?search_query=phun).


Too much Phun


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496698094_c289033018_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Playground Rooster">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496698094_d925834d24_s.jpg" alt="Playground Rooster"/>
</a>

These are some photos I took during a sunny walk around Colindres last week. Things are slowly warming up here. Still haven't worn any shorts yet, but the day is coming. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496698094_c289033018_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Playground Rooster">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496698094_d925834d24.jpg" alt="Playground Rooster"/>
</a>

Playground rooster. What's great about this photo is that you can just barely see my living room window. Click through to see the note.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496703010_27c0a58d23_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tidal Pools">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496703010_ca473fe2a0.jpg" alt="Tidal Pools"/>
</a>

The tide slowly comes back in. I'd love to do a timelapse video out where the tidal pools are, but I don't have the batteries for it.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495884757_b4f4177241_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Olive Tree">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495884757_3824b082c2.jpg" alt="Olive Tree"/>
</a>

A wee olive tree.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495889185_fcb843e507_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crumbling House over Restaurant">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495889185_8a02273799.jpg" alt="Crumbling House over Restaurant"/>
</a>

It's a shame that some of the healthier businesses in Colindres are on the ground floor of crumbling buildings like this.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496718438_5b624cf544_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Abandoned Mansion">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2496718438_31418bde87.jpg" alt="Abandoned Mansion"/>
</a>

One of the nicer abandoned mansions around.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495895737_644715ccf1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="New Bollardry">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495895737_d85d5ce811.jpg" alt="New Bollardry"/>
</a>

Some brand new bollardry installed lately.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495901057_9f06057e08_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Robot Face">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-16-sunny-walk-around-colindres/2495901057_8f4e69aa10.jpg" alt="Robot Face"/>
</a>

I walk over this square sewer cover every day on the way to the grocery store. And the darn thing _never stops staring at me_.


Sunny Walk Around Colindres


Do you know what happens on your office desk at night? Last night, I got up to get a drink of water, and I heard some noise coming from the office. When I went to investigate, I was amazed... ![Desk Traffic](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-14-desk-traffic/2491870582_735c1b6428.jpg)

Information Superhighway

I arrived at this particular spark of creativity by the idea of [making a tilt-shifted photograph look like a model sitting on my desk](http://flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/2488568573/). Then I asked myself what other objects might I photoshop onto my desk. A quick search for Creative Commons images of cars later, I found an appropriate [photo of cars](http://flickr.com/photos/mwichary/2304062358/) to use. I particularly liked all the reflection of the headlights off of the road and other cars. The desk and keyboard are mine. Photoshop is fun.


Desk Traffic


My tilt-shifting [habit](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/sets/72157604792810596/) apparently knows no end. I'm starting to look at all photos with a "What would this look like in miniature?" attitude. Two of these photos are ones I took in Dublin last weekend. Another one is a very unique medieval castle in Slovenia. And the final photo was taken by my friend, [Hubbers](http://www.hubbers.com/), in Tuscany last weekend (his excuse for not joining me for a Guinness in Dublin). I'm starting to notice that the better the initial photo, the better the tilt-shifted version turns out. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2486243109_aa8f7d82ae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Christmas in May (miniature)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2486243109_30b4b675e9.jpg" alt="Christmas in May (miniature)"/>
</a>

Miniature Christmas in May.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2487102894_c6fd05b1b5_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="River Liffey Reflection">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2487102894_19ff50cde9.jpg" alt="River Liffey Reflection"/>
</a>

Reflection on River Liffey. By choosing which part of the photo to put in focus, I can directly control the eye of the viewer. Hard not to look at that water, isn't it?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2486745651_4cfe6c6843_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Predjamski grad (miniature)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2486745651_614faec3e9.jpg" alt="Predjamski grad (miniature)"/>
</a>

[Predjama Castle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predjama_Castle) is built into a cave.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2487208845_9078b2a70a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Miniature Cathedral of Pisa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-13-little-things/2487208845_3d974a0f4d.jpg" alt="Miniature Cathedral of Pisa"/>
</a>

[Piazza dei Miracoli](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_dei_Miracoli) in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy. This is the first tilt-shift I've done without using a linear focus line. I'm pleased with the result.

The last one is my favorite. Apparently the tower almost fell over, but [Hubbers was there to hold it up](http://www.flickr.com/photos/hubbers/2488023654/). Clichés are fun.


Little Things


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483532224_43258a708a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="First Guinness (with flash)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483532224_84e87aa63f_t.jpg" alt="First Guinness (with flash)"/>
</a>

As mentioned in my previous post, we spent this weekend in Dublin. Upon landing and boarding the bus for the city centre, Marga and I both had a strange feeling come over us. What was so strange was how so incredibly **not** strange Ireland felt. Nothing felt foreign. The cars driving on the left seemed perfectly normal. The style of the houses, buses, billboards, shops, etc. was all so completely familiar. It was just _weird_. Three years ago, we moved to Spain after spending four years in England, and the architecture and culture of Ireland is so incredibly similar to that of England that it was like going back home. Of course that statement will incense some Irish people, but I think they'll have to agree that no other culture is closest to that of Ireland than that of the UK.

We didn't really have much of a plan other than to walk around and enjoy the city for what it is. So we embarked on a cycle of building up thirst and quenching it with stout Irish nectar.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482681347_0a5aa815c2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Irish Flowers">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482681347_90c629c955.jpg" alt="Irish Flowers"/>
</a>

The May flowers were in amazing form.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483501920_f39c0e7e43_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Irish Flowers">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483501920_23974285ed.jpg" alt="Irish Flowers"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482695073_34bce221f7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Irish Flowers">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482695073_322f396d17.jpg" alt="Irish Flowers"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482701511_316d7daee9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Trinity Church">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482701511_ab96d7e16c.jpg" alt="Trinity Church"/>
</a>

A chapel next to our hotel.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483520464_7843b2cbb2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dublin Lamp Post">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483520464_7b5e7583ee.jpg" alt="Dublin Lamp Post"/>
</a>

A lamp post on a bridge crossing the River Liffey, with the famous [Dublin Spire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_Spire) in the background.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483525258_962ace7977_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Palace Bar">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483525258_627d5f435e.jpg" alt="Palace Bar"/>
</a>

Palace Bar, in [Temple Bar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Bar%2C_Dublin), the district with all the famous Irish pubs that are imitated across the world.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482713709_0b4c8e5db0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="First Guinness">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482713709_ec924cb1f1.jpg" alt="First Guinness"/>
</a>

My first encounter with Her Blackness.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483532224_43258a708a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="First Guinness (with flash)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483532224_84e87aa63f.jpg" alt="First Guinness (with flash)"/>
</a>

Same as previous photo, but with flash. I'm not sure which I prefer.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483551116_e873295d16_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Irish Mosaic">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483551116_cf93ac62a0.jpg" alt="Irish Mosaic"/>
</a>

A cool mosaic mural. Click through for detail.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482742447_edc95b535f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Fountain Duck">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482742447_13fbc456a1.jpg" alt="Fountain Duck"/>
</a>

A duck in a fountain.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483564224_e2b2e26153_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Splitting Headache">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483564224_522aeab5f3.jpg" alt="Splitting Headache"/>
</a>

This mannequin in a shop window had a splitting headache. Seriously, how awful...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483569428_f9055fbb9d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dublin McDonalds">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483569428_c70f600f96.jpg" alt="Dublin McDonalds"/>
</a>

Marga was craving some fast food since she hasn't really had any in three years.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482771477_f100d19ae4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Orange Tulips">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482771477_8d444de9a6.jpg" alt="Orange Tulips"/>
</a>

Orange tulips in [St. Stephen's Green](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Stephen%27s_Green).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482783735_f7fe4d6f51_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="New Leaves">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482783735_7297e524f6.jpg" alt="New Leaves"/>
</a>

Young leaves on a tree.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483607486_02be399208_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Pond">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483607486_5d33b82f57.jpg" alt="Pond"/>
</a>

A pond. Urbanites really require peaceful parks like this to remain sane.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483620280_ebf8a8277e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="St. Stephen's Green">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483620280_a6ec094ea8.jpg" alt="St. Stephen's Green"/>
</a>

The greenskeeper for St. Stephen's Green is amazing.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482817453_52a4954dd2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Irish Tulips">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482817453_0304cd44fd.jpg" alt="Irish Tulips"/>
</a>

Irish tulips.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483639298_3fe9095bfc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Walkway Petals">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483639298_74c358ba29.jpg" alt="Walkway Petals"/>
</a>

Flower petals line the walkway.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482839557_4783dbbe5f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Park Lovers">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482839557_39d4ef9675.jpg" alt="Park Lovers"/>
</a>

Some young lovers embrace in the park.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483660972_5feb70305e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lady Bug">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483660972_f542a69bda.jpg" alt="Lady Bug"/>
</a>

I didn't notice the ladybug in this photo until after I got home. Can you see her?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482855379_4d618bcd15_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="There ain't no finer diner">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482855379_ed3ce47385.jpg" alt="There ain't no finer diner"/>
</a>

For dinner, on Friday, we went to Eddie Rocket's. There ain't no finer diner.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482860921_c46511ab86_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lotta Beer">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482860921_068a8921d8.jpg" alt="Lotta Beer"/>
</a>

From the hallway on the fifth floor of our hotel, we could see this respectable collection of beer kegs.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482870311_8e53c9bf90_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Ivy League">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482870311_9f11c6e983.jpg" alt="Ivy League"/>
</a>

An ivy covered building.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483693864_76c3b1d5e9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Ivy FaÃ§ade">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483693864_d3364c59a7.jpg" alt="Ivy FaÃ§ade"/>
</a>

Neat.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483706564_a369192e9e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Viking Tour Boat/Bus">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483706564_12b7f5ecf3.jpg" alt="Viking Tour Boat/Bus"/>
</a>

The viking tour that Simon [told me about](/2008/03/17/happy-st-patricks-day/#comment-2209). It was just ending, otherwise we might have done it. Check out the Scottish kid with the kilt disembarking.

[![](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2459940782_951179cd93_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amk/2459940782/)Okay, now the following photo requires some explanation. One of my blogroll-mates, [Andrea](http://www.smattery.com/), recently took a vacation to Dublin. Among the few photos she published online was the one to the left. When she posted it, I viewed the large version of it and left [a cheeky comment](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amk/2459940782/#comment72157604844134596) about the "Far too much Bertie" stickers on the lamp post. So, imagine my surprise as we are aimlessly walking around Dublin, when I clearly recognize the wrought iron gates across the road. I said to Marga, "Ha! You'll never believe this, but I happen to know that there are some stickers on that lamp post across the street." Thus, I was obligated by coincidence to take this photo.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483716814_2fd9f115ea_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Far Too Much Bertie">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483716814_8e503fde34.jpg" alt="Far Too Much Bertie"/>
</a>

Judging from the difference in angle, Andrea (or her husband) is considerably taller than Marga. A little googling informed me that [Far Too Much Bertie](http://fartoomuchbertie.com/) is a political movement, and you can print the stickers on their website.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482908151_fee352fa05_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Trinity College Spire">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482908151_e66e989ac7.jpg" alt="Trinity College Spire"/>
</a>

The obligatory Trinity College spire shot.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483728580_d2fcca7a59_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Trinity College Architecture">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483728580_4278c09eff.jpg" alt="Trinity College Architecture"/>
</a>

Some Trinity College architecture.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482919445_c1e54092b7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Famine Dog Statue">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482919445_a5062a7383.jpg" alt="Famine Dog Statue"/>
</a>

Down by the docks, we found a monument to the [Irish potato famine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Hunger). For some reason, statues of canines always intrigue me.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483737624_8ae1ec6e15_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sad Potato Famine Statue">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483737624_a34d88e22e.jpg" alt="Sad Potato Famine Statue"/>
</a>

A gaunt famine victim.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483750954_e028f0546a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Famine">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483750954_e4db650de7.jpg" alt="Famine"/>
</a>

Plaque.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483755608_32ae618dcb_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Liffey Reflection">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483755608_fe35e496e6.jpg" alt="Liffey Reflection"/>
</a>

Reflection on River Liffey.

Later, we walked through some residential areas.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482949769_54630d6d7e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Christmas in May">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482949769_83271b98b9.jpg" alt="Christmas in May"/>
</a>

Christmas spirit in May. I hope they turn them on at night.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483775598_b0e48c6830_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Entre Ommunity">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483775598_1e2dfa63a1.jpg" alt="Entre Ommunity"/>
</a>

Entre Ommunity

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482969615_9988973f1f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Paper Mache Body Parts">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482969615_cb624e6824.jpg" alt="Paper Mache Body Parts"/>
</a>

This group of papier mÃ¢ché body parts was peering out of a school or art studio or something.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482973475_5dfa18d84a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Angel's Best Friend">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482973475_ce89861e49.jpg" alt="Angel's Best Friend"/>
</a>

A dog is an angel's best friend.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482981951_8b478dfc68_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Bank Robbery">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482981951_b40bd1de6a.jpg" alt="Bank Robbery"/>
</a>

Thousands of people walked casually by as this man tunneled a hole into this bank. Invisibility by obviousness is a pretty clever cloaking technique for a bank robbery. I wasn't fooled, though. A few hours later, the hole was covered with a small wooden board, poorly wedged into place.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483801948_14a0efc8ff_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Pints at Messrs Maguire">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483801948_aec322dcf8.jpg" alt="Pints at Messrs Maguire"/>
</a>

On Saturday evening, we spent a few hours in what must be my favorite Irish pub. I realized that I've been to this pub all three times I've been in Dublin. It's called Messrs Maguire, and I'd love to know how to pronounce that. It's completely unassuming and I would walk right by it if I didn't already know what it was. Inside is all standard dark wood Irish pub decor, but the bar is separated into many different levels with stairs running between them. It's quite like a tree house, really. I adore it.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482990805_f2e198de23_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tall Danish Blonde">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2482990805_da295d1b69.jpg" alt="Tall Danish Blonde"/>
</a>

A leggy Danish blonde.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483809972_7610a89e82_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Curvy Brunette">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483809972_073befd3df.jpg" alt="Curvy Brunette"/>
</a>

My wonderful pint o' joy. Are you thirsty yet?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483001503_a475bfae9f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="iMacs in Best Western">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-11-dublin-trip-may-2008/2483001503_c90ea36f8e.jpg" alt="iMacs in Best Western"/>
</a>

Our hotel had two gorgeous iMacs in the lobby. They were almost always in use. I took this photo as we were leaving the hotel at 4:00 AM Sunday morning. The few times I did use them, I found that people had left instant messaging programs still logged in. And the silly Windows users had tried to make the Safari windows fill the entire screen. The receptionists all had nice, stylish Apple cinema displays, but I could see that the cables ran to ugly PCs down below.

We got home at 9:15 AM on Sunday morning, and I was one of the first customers in Colindres at the bakery to buy our daily bread and some breakfast pastries. After breakfast, we took a nap until early afternoon, exhausted from walking so many kilometers around the gorgeous city of Dublin, Ireland.


Dublin Trip - May 2008


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-09-because-exported-guinness-just-isnt-the-same/242224142_05541328d2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Black Heaven">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-09-because-exported-guinness-just-isnt-the-same/242224142_05541328d2_t.jpg" alt="Black Heaven"/>
</a>

This morning my wife and I are going to Dublin for two days. Santander-Dublin is one of the cheap routes provided by one of the leading "budget" airlines in Europe, [Ryanair](http://www.ryanair.com/). Their web designer should be shot. What is it about selling things at a discount price that requires having a [wacky waving inflatible arm flailing tube man](http://www.wackywavinginflatablearmflailingtubeman.com/) on the roof? Gross.

Our flights cost 0.00€. Really. When we started the checkout process we owed nothing. But then came the "taxes, fees, & charges": 79.88€. Actually those must just be "fees & charges", because, even with socialist Europe and its exorbitant VATs, I'm pretty sure that any percentage of 0€ is going to be zero.

But wait! We're not done with the checkout process yet. How many bags will you be checking? That's an additional fee for each bag. We're going for such a short time that we chose zero checked bags.

How would you like to pay? Oooh, a credit card? That'll be 8€ more. Debit card? 6€ more. I can't remember what the free payment method was, but it seemed pretty rare and awkward to me. We paid with a debit card.

So in the end, our "free" round trip cost is 85.88€ in total (for both of us). Budget airlines have always confounded me. How can you take me and one carryon from Spain to Ireland for less than 22€ and make any kind of profit? I just don't get it.

Back in a couple days...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-09-because-exported-guinness-just-isnt-the-same/304554108_d726dde198_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Frothy Goodness">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-09-because-exported-guinness-just-isnt-the-same/304554108_d726dde198.jpg" alt="Frothy Goodness"/>
</a>


Because exported Guinness just isn't the same


I've been living in Spain for almost three years now, and I have seen variations on this story play out quite a few times. It amazes me every time. I have a mobile phone that I never use. But there's a reason why the Germans call them _handys_. When you really need it, it's nice to have. My mobile is one of the old monochrome, monophonic Nokias from back in the day when you could only choose from the 10 ringtones the manufacturer gave you. It serves it's purpose.

Last year, we got a call from the Spanish telephone monopoly, Telefónica. They wanted us to sign up for a contract with them instead of using my prepaid sim card. I was under the impression that for someone that uses less than 5-10 minutes per month and already had a phone, prepaid was cheaper. But they said, "No, this is much better. For the first six months, you only pay for what you use, just like with prepaid, but, because it's a billing contract, you don't have to worry about how much time you have left, etc. "Great!", we said, "But then after the six months are up, you're gonna really stick it to us with an expensive fixed-length contract, right?" They said no, that after the six months, there will be a minimum charge of 9Â€/month, so that you're still charged 9Â€ every month even if you don't use all those minutes. And you can cancel at any time! My wife and I are as wary of telecoms as anyone, but we guessed every way they could screw us and were told that that wasn't the case. So we signed up.

That was six months ago.

Today our mobile bill came. Last month we made 2.3665Â€ (don't you love those penny hundredths?) worth of phone calls and text messages. But our 9Â€ minimum had kicked in, so they added on the extra 6.6335Â€ to make up the difference. My wife took one look at the bill and said, "Okay, I'm canceling the contract."

The customer support people are always so incredulous when you're calling to cancel. Frankly I'm surprised that she got to speak to a human in under ten minutes. When she had finally explained the problem to the customer support representative, she was told, "Well, would you like to have another year of paying only what you use?" Sure enough, that's what they gave us. Unbelievable.

Let me summarize... The phone company was going to charge us 6Â€/month until we called up and asked them not to. It's an opt-out fee. What blows my mind is the huge profits being made because hundreds of thousands of customers just don't call up to complain.

> **In Spain, the default business-to-customer policy is to overcharge the customer until they complain about being overcharged.**

I've seen this time and again. And every time it amazes me.


Are you paying optional fees?


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2469263532_a1998c4b9c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Rainbow Tilt Shift">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2469263532_92cebb0732_t.jpg" alt="Rainbow Tilt Shift"/>
</a>

I've trained my eye to spot photos that can be easily tilt-shifted. A few of them I found by searching for tags like "birdseye" on Flickr. To see the original photos, click on a photo and then follow the link to the original. Behold... <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2456898188_3f66c1f270_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mini Arrowhead Stadium">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2456898188_9d736a805b.jpg" alt="Mini Arrowhead Stadium"/>
</a>

Mini Arrowhead Stadium.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2456899258_d90ec8128e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mini Bull Pen">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2456899258_ccdd1e8539.jpg" alt="Mini Bull Pen"/>
</a>

Mini Bull Pen. Despite the scale of the subject, this one turned out even more convincing than some of the others.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2457178103_a8c341fd11_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tilt Shift Parliament">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2457178103_b715514e87.jpg" alt="Tilt Shift Parliament"/>
</a>

The angle from which everyone that visits London has a photo of the Houses of Parliament...from the London Eye.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2457184695_a234fc1dc5_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mini 1980 Space Shuttle">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2457184695_3d09c2972a.jpg" alt="Mini 1980 Space Shuttle"/>
</a>

The space shuttle from 1980, back when they painted it completely white. The painting idea was scrapped later on when they realized how much all that paint weighed, and how much more fuel they were using to get it all into orbit.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2457186109_c067d425da_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Shuttle Cart Tilt Shift">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2457186109_a59306196a.jpg" alt="Shuttle Cart Tilt Shift"/>
</a>

A later unpainted shuttle being wheeled from the same hangar pictured above. This is one of the more convincing miniatures.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2469263532_a1998c4b9c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Rainbow Tilt Shift">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2469263532_92cebb0732.jpg" alt="Rainbow Tilt Shift"/>
</a>

This one's from my [rainbow post](/2008/04/21/alexanders-band-again/) recently.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2470582834_2baf2ee4d5_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mini Bridal Veil Falls">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-08-shifting-and-tilting/2470582834_98aae7bb44.jpg" alt="Mini Bridal Veil Falls"/>
</a>

Bridal Veil Falls in New Zealand.


Shifting and Tilting


Before sending off [my absentee ballot](/2008/03/27/absentee-primary-ballot/) in March, I took photos of each side of the filled-in ballot so that I could remember who I voted for and compare my votes with [the final results](http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/1875/3985/en/summary.html).

Contest

My Vote

Winning Candidate

Match

Presidential Preference

Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Y

US Senate

Kay Hagan

Kay Hagan

Y

Governor

Bev Purdue

Bev Purdue

Y

Lieutenant Governor

Hampton Dellinger

Walter H. Dalton

N

Auditor

Beth A. Wood

Beth A. Wood

Y

Commissioner of Insurance

David C. Smith

Wayne Goodwin

N

Commissioner of Labor

Mary Fant Donnan

Mary Fant Donnan

Y

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Eddie Davis

June St. Clair Atkinson

N

Treasurer

Janet Cowell

Janet Cowell

Y

Court of Appeals Judge

James A. Wynn

James A. Wynn

Y

District Court of Appeals

Sam J. Ervin, IV

Sam J. Ervin, IV

Y

District Court Judge District 10

Anna Elena Worley

Anna Elena Worley

Y

Frankly, I'm quite pleased with 75% of my votes winning.

Strangely, the Commissioner of Labor contest was incredibly close. Of more than a million votes, [the final breakdown](http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/1875/3985/en/vts.html?cid=112) was

Mary Fant Donnan

333688

27.56%

Ty Richardson

290926

24.03%

Robin Anderson

292002

24.12%

John C. Brooks

294111

24.29%

That's seriously close. Mary Fant Donnan won by fewer than 39,577 votes from the runner-up and only 42,762 votes from the candidate that got the fewest votes. Amazing!

Obama gave another one of his speeches. The first time we heard one of these, [we were all amazed](/2008/01/04/best-speech-ive-heard-in-a-long-time/), but now it more like, "Yeah, so Picasso painted another masterpiece...ho..hum...".

Go Barack!


North Carolina Primary Results


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469183972_45af00b3ed_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Inky with his eight little legs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469183972_af6ec83d21_t.jpg" alt="Inky with his eight little legs"/>
</a>

Without a doubt, one of the strangest dishes in Spanish cuisine has got to be _chiperones en su tinta_ (squid in its ink). That's the dish they're referring to when they say that Spaniards are the only people that will eat completely pitch black food. The sauce is actually tomato sauce, but with just a little bit of ink, it turns jet black. Last weekend, my mother-in-law made some _chiperones en su tinta_ for us to bring back with us, and today we had it for lunch. It's really very delicious if you can get past the superficial psychological color barrier. Normally the squid are about fist-sized and filled with ground beef, but occasionally a little baby one will get into the mix and remind you just what you're eating. Today, as I was soaking up the excess sauce with my bread, I noticed a little straggler was left behind and I took his picture. I've decided to name him Inky. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469181542_ecff368f23_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Inky tries to escape">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469181542_8196714405.jpg" alt="Inky tries to escape"/>
</a>

Besides being long since dead and cooked, it sure looked like he was trying to escape.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469182976_f8fe6bbdfb_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Inky, the baby squid">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469182976_d35b8bd3d8.jpg" alt="Inky, the baby squid"/>
</a>

A profile shot. What an adorable little cephalopod.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469183972_45af00b3ed_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Inky with his eight little legs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-05-inky-the-baby-squid/2469183972_af6ec83d21.jpg" alt="Inky with his eight little legs"/>
</a>

From above. He's still got all eight baby tentacles.

Finally, I set down the camera and popped Inky into my mouth. He was almost as chewy as he was cute.


Inky, The Baby Squid


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464855955_9fa563acae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Dominos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464855955_41ba7b106d_t.jpg" alt="Dominos"/>
</a>

We went to the in-laws for the weekend. Not much happened, but I did spend some time on Saturday watching a dominos tournament at my father-in-law's social club. It was pretty interesting. The dominos have this little nub in the middle, presumably to make them easier to pick up when they're face down. The men playing insist on slamming each domino they play hard on the table and then sliding it into place. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464825859_6a4f8ee49a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dominos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464825859_29210e9b0b.jpg" alt="Dominos"/>
</a>

Dominos with reflection.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464832087_ee4660b835_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Icy Drink">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464832087_e106055e42.jpg" alt="Icy Drink"/>
</a>

Someone's ice cold drink sitting on the window sill.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464835675_f7894b04c2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Domino Game">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464835675_bbab1c7d47.jpg" alt="Domino Game"/>
</a>

Four sets of hands gathered around the table.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464841305_4336f4c08f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Old Deck">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464841305_ccc332965b.jpg" alt="Old Deck"/>
</a>

An old deck of playing cards.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465678196_0fa69c571d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Spanish Playing Cards">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465678196_86eded0a23.jpg" alt="Spanish Playing Cards"/>
</a>

The cards were particularly strange, because they had poker ranks (ace, king queen, etc.) with Spanish suits (swords, cups, coins, and clubs). Normally [Spanish cards](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraja_(playing_cards)), instead of aces, kings, queens, and jacks, have aces, kings, horses, and pages.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465682694_cb5a540668_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dominos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465682694_3231ce016a.jpg" alt="Dominos"/>
</a>

Domino formation.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464855955_9fa563acae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dominos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464855955_41ba7b106d.jpg" alt="Dominos"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465689060_e590bc0a8a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dominos Box">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465689060_674f8bd913.jpg" alt="Dominos Box"/>
</a>

Dominos box.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464863671_96fd5aaa0e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dominos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464863671_0704dd97ae.jpg" alt="Dominos"/>
</a>

Mixing them up.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465696964_90cb082e34_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lager Tube">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465696964_df2d113ee6.jpg" alt="Lager Tube"/>
</a>

My beer.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464870815_c40fa91cfa_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Bar Code Through Beer">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464870815_a75a374f3e.jpg" alt="Bar Code Through Beer"/>
</a>

Bar code distorted through beer.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464874811_5521dd2ed4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gentlemen's Items">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464874811_fb02b1b744.jpg" alt="Gentlemen's Items"/>
</a>

Later, we went out onto the terrace on the roof and basked in the May heat.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465710662_49b6712469_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Wine Glass">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2465710662_b147c797bf.jpg" alt="Wine Glass"/>
</a>

My wine glass.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464876445_0526a3bce6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Glass Rings">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-04-dominos-tournament/2464876445_2746261de0.jpg" alt="Glass Rings"/>
</a>

Three rings my glass made on the table between sips.


Dominos Tournament


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458242363_67bd5ed8c8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Cabo de Ajo - Faro - Google Earth Screenshot">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458242363_3f636a9c75_t.jpg" alt="Cabo de Ajo - Faro - Google Earth Screenshot"/>
</a>

Last Saturday, the weather was great. Sunny and warm. So we decided that, on Sunday, we'd get up early, like 10:00 AM (this is Spain), and drive to some nearby village to take a walk and investigate the town and surrounding area. But by the time Sunday morning rolled around, we hadn't picked a destination, or even a direction. Marga went about solving the problem with a low tech solution, getting our map from the car and looking for some place that was printed in a slightly bolder font than the rest, thus indicating being larger or more interesting. But we quickly realized that some tiny, tiny boring towns that we _did_ know about were printed in huge bold font, so that idea had to be scrapped. Meanwhile, I went high tech...opening [Google Earth](http://earth.google.com/).  In Google Earth, I could easily look around the surrounding area and see photos that various internet people had taken at different locations. The winning photo was [this one](http://www.panoramio.com/photo/42180) of a nearby lighthouse.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458242363_67bd5ed8c8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cabo de Ajo - Faro - Google Earth Screenshot">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458242363_3f636a9c75.jpg" alt="Cabo de Ajo - Faro - Google Earth Screenshot"/>
</a>

Screenshot from Google Earth.

On the way there, we stopped at the town of Ajo, a word which literally means garlic, and took a walk around the ancient section of town, investigating the centuries-old stone farm houses.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458227447_cc951024e9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Old House">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458227447_1fec5a869c.jpg" alt="Old House"/>
</a>

This old house, and the tree that accompanies it, have been there for a _long_ time.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458231011_fc70752930_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Entrance Gate">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2458231011_4010ff063c.jpg" alt="Entrance Gate"/>
</a>

Can you imagine driving through this arch every time you arrive home from the supermarket?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459067080_289b2b3a01_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Fiber Optic Flower">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459067080_665d7b3f88.jpg" alt="Fiber Optic Flower"/>
</a>

These flowers were pretty amazing. They remind me of those little plastic fiber optic strands where the light comes out the end.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459068598_162a11e4fa_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Multicolor Roses">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459068598_a69cc769c7.jpg" alt="Multicolor Roses"/>
</a>

These roses can't decide whether to be yellow or red.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459073164_45c36c6092_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Yellow and Red Roses">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459073164_790aed306e.jpg" alt="Yellow and Red Roses"/>
</a>

Very Spanish flag, I think.

Eventually we arrived to the end of the peninsula where the lighthouse was. Unfortunately a big fence kept us several hundred meters away from the lighthouse, so I didn't even take a picture of it. But we did find a way to walk a bit near the coast.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459078126_aa7310c80d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Rocky Coast">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-02-google-earth-tourism/2459078126_fd114b8076.jpg" alt="Rocky Coast"/>
</a>

The rocky coast.

There was a man with two dogs. We passed through a gate with "no dogs beyond this point" to get to where they were. One of the dogs came up to greet me in a friendly way. When I got out my camera, the dog came back to investigate what I had. The man shouted, "_MARGA!!_ Get over here!" My wife, Marga, was suitably shocked. But my new four-legged friend, Marga, understood perfectly and ran over to her master. My wife said, "That dog really likes you," to which I responded, "Yes, all Margas do."

In all the excitement, I didn't even get a photo of the dogs. Oh well. As you can see, the weather on Sunday was not as cheerful as it had been on Saturday, so we headed home early. I had wanted to spend the whole day out in some small town, but we decided against it.


Google Earth Tourism


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2456572588_94337ebbc2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Crookes Radiometer in Sunlight">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2456572588_62f957a717_t.jpg" alt="Crookes Radiometer in Sunlight"/>
</a>

A few Christmases ago, my parents gave me a [Crookes radiometer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crookes_radiometer). Although I did not know the official name of the device, I had first learned about them watching Mr. Wizard, and had later seen some in science classrooms during my jaunt through the public school system. The explanation I was always given of how it worked was Crookes' original "light pressure" theory that was disproved back in 1876. Go public schools!

From what I can tell from the [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crookes_radiometer#Explanations_for_the_force_on_the_vanes), it sounds like the best explanation we have for why a Crookes radiometer spins is a combination of two theories put forth by Osborne Reynolds and some unknown guy named Einstein. They are both sound theories given what we know about radiation and fluid dynamics, but they, due to the nature of the object they describe, haven't been (and can't be) tested experimentally. Unfortunately, our house completely lacks any form of window sill, so the radiometer has to live on a glass table that only gets direct sunlight for a few hours each morning. Yesterday I noticed how cool the shadow cast on the wall was. Any object placed on the glass table will have a double shadow cast up onto the wall, but the radiometer's shadow looks particularly cool with its long spindly wine-glass neck. Not to mention that a Crookes radiometer's shadow is, almost by definition, always moving.

So I took some photos and, because the subject is better with movement, whipped up a kooky little video.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2456563870_4200f128c9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crookes Radiometer Double Reflection Shadow">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2456563870_df4a2f49c8.jpg" alt="Crookes Radiometer Double Reflection Shadow"/>
</a>

The double shadow on the wall.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2455743991_8268eddbaa_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crookes Radiometer Shadow">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2455743991_dbe8f751e4.jpg" alt="Crookes Radiometer Shadow"/>
</a>

The shadow on the shelf under the table. See the frowny face?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2456572588_94337ebbc2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crookes Radiometer in Sunlight">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-05-01-crookes-radiometer/2456572588_62f957a717.jpg" alt="Crookes Radiometer in Sunlight"/>
</a>

Held up to the sun with flare.

Ain't science swell!


20 posts from May, 2008