
<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-30-nora-cam/4843897700_29d2be9eb0_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Nora Cam (still frame)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-30-nora-cam/4843897700_26c8c6cfcc_t.jpg" alt="Nora Cam (still frame)"/>
</a>

 by erikrasmussen, on Flickr")The other day, Nora was in my office chastising me for something in her gibberish language, so I got out the video camera. While I was taping, her mother called her into the living room to put on some sunscreen in preparation for an afternoon trip to the beach, so I walked with her, with a slight detour into the kitchen. The result is a sort of Nora's-eye-view of our front hallway, kitchen and living room.


Nora Cam


[![Friendly Bug!](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-29-how-was-this-working/545271203_457e1a77d1_t.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/gottcha78/545271203/ "Friendly Bug! by gottcha78, on Flickr")An oversimplified description of my job as a computer programmer goes something like this.

1. I get some requirements for a program from my boss or a client.
2. I write the program as perfectly as I can.
3. I test the program with all the cases that I think it will need to handle.
4. The program is done and people start using it.
5. For whatever reason the requirements change (or a bug is found), and I have to go back and modify the code. Inevitably less testing is done on these changes than the original writing.
6. [Go to](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goto) #4.

It's pretty rare for the original writing of a program to have a significant bug in it after testing, although I'm not perfect. Almost all bugs are introduced in step #5. When you first write the program, the entire program and its relationship with other programs is in your mind. But when you go back to look at old code, it's just not fresh in your memory, and it's very easy to make a change without taking into consideration all the consequences that change will have. Sometimes when I'm doing testing on change to a piece of code, I'll find a problem in an unrelated common part of the system, like a line of code that is run several dozen times every time anyone goes to any page on any of my company's websites. Looking at the code reveals that there is **_no way this could possibly be working_**, and yet millions of dollars of revenue have been earned specifically because that line worked.

The name in the industry for this type of phenomenon is [_Schroedinbug_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unusual_software_bug#Schroedinbug), because, like [Schrí¶dinger's cat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger's_cat), everything is fine until you observe what's inside the box.

What is really mind-blowing about _Schroedinbugs_ is just how often they occur. I find bugs like this several times a year. Today was one of those days.

I have to wonder if other branches of engineering have similar phenomena. Do engineers sometimes find a rusted bolt and say, "Man, I can't believe the bridge is still standing!" Do doctors often tell patients, "According to medical science, that really should have killed you." I certainly hope not, but my intuition tells me it happens _all the time_.


How was this working?


[![The Magic Lamp](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-28-aladdin-pants/2603720616_5d4981744a_t.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/plastereddragon/2603720616/ "The Magic Lamp by plastereddragon, on Flickr")I'm pretty sure that I will never understand clothing fashion. It seems to be a futile conundrum of combining the desire to be like everyone else with the desire to be unique. But then I don't get a lot of social customs. Every once in a while, however, a new style comes along that makes me think, "Wow, you are going to be _so_ embarrassed in ten years to look back at photos of yourself wearing _that_!" In the last five summers in Spain, there has been an explosion in the popularity of [capri pants](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capri_pants), called "pirate pants" here, that I have successfully avoided. C'mon, people! Having trousers that stop at your calves is a ridiculous idea.

It was about one year ago, last August, that my wife showed me some new trousers she had bought. They seemed to me to be the most ridiculous thing ever, and I was unable to stop from laughing at the idea that someone would wear them. I'm not sure if I hurt her feelings or what, but she ended up giving them to her sister. The only way I could think to describe them is with the term "Aladdin pants". Some googling, in preparation for this post, has revealed that they are _actually called that!_ Perhaps the correct term is [harem pants](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harem_pants)? Much to my chagrin, they are _huge_ this summer. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-28-aladdin-pants/4837049505_f2e71ccace_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mother and Daughter in Aladdin Pants">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-28-aladdin-pants/4837049505_a9072910f9_z.jpg" alt="Mother and Daughter in Aladdin Pants"/>
</a>

This is a photo of mother and daughter both sporting said trousers I snapped in the local market.

Please, oh please, let them remain in the realm of _women's_ fashion. Back away, M.C. Hammer! Now if only I had a genie so I could wish this style out of existence. It'll be gone soon enough, I suppose.


Aladdin Pants


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-26-angelic-morning/4830718194_503e15a48d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Hiding and Grinning (crop)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-26-angelic-morning/4830718194_97f1570818_t.jpg" alt="Hiding and Grinning (crop)"/>
</a>

 by erikrasmussen, on Flickr")Nora was exceedingly well behaved this morning. When she woke up at 6:47 AM with a mild cry, I got up and explained to her that, due to the slight tilt of the Earth's rotational axis in relation to its orbital plane, we have a season, summer, in which the sun comes up very early and sets very late, and that just because the sun was already up and that Mommy had just left for work, it was, in fact, according to the definitions set forth in the household rulebook, still officially Night Time and that she should go back to sleep. She and I both went back to bed until 9:00 AM.

I carried her downstairs, put on her shoes – good traction is very important at this stage of her ambulatory development – and left her in the living room to play with some toys while I went to the kitchen to prepare her morning bottle and orange juice. Before the 45 seconds on the microwave were up, she had crawled into the kitchen with me. Soon I had her breakfast ready and we returned to the sofa for alimentary administration. She's really been enjoying [drinking from a glass](/2010/07/23/agua/) lately, and she's a big fan of freshly squeezed orange juice, despite the most adorable involuntary lip pucker it induces. We sat there calmly watching an episode of the original [The Avengers](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054518/), as she sipped her breakfast. She knows how to drink from her bottle on her own now, so she sat with it in her lap sipping occasionally until it was mostly gone. A few times I tried to take it away and was scolded for my haste.

Nora is just now at the age when she can be left alone safely again. When she was little and couldn't crawl, you could just leave her somewhere on the floor and come back a few minutes later and there she'd be, pinned down by Newton's First Law of Motion. Now she can stand up and walk to nearby furniture fairly safely. So I was able to leave her playing with some toys and have a shower and shave. Then it was upstairs to dress her in a fine dress that was a little long last year and is a little short this year. She doesn't mind getting sunscreen put on her legs, but when I put it on her arms, neck, and face, she screams in annoyance, the only time she came close to crying all morning.

Soon it was time for a walk, so I strapped her in her stroller and we both donned our shades and hit the road, heading for the fishing port about a kilometer away. She left her glasses on, which she often doesn't tolerate, and about halfway there she was dozing. She slept for a full hour, allowing me to get in a full hour of seaside exercise, working on my suntan and love handles. An hour later, we sat down at a cafe for a quick rest in the shade and a beer. This is when Nora woke up, and rather than beg for a cookie, as she often does, she was content to play with my iPhone earphone cord while I finished my beer and read a few virtual pages on her iPad.

Then it was off to one of the local baby stores, where we had purchased a dress and a stairway gate – to keep you-know-who from climbing the stairs – on Saturday. When we bought the items, the lady said, without taking any names or information from us, "Go ahead and try it out and you can pay me sometime next week." Wow. Small town perks! While I was there to pay for the items, I noticed a hat that I thought might look good on Nora. If baby hat sizes are any basis for judgement, Nora's head is _enormous_, because they are almost all too small. But this one had a bit of elastic at the back, and a few other features I liked, so I threw it in with the previous purchase.

With her hat on, we we headed to the swing set at the park. I'm not sure what it is about swinging, but little kids can't seem to get enough of it. After fifteen minutes or so, she let me know with a few grunts when it was time to get off the swings, and she made a beeline for the slide. She loves to walk up the slide (with strong support from a parent) and then slide down, even though she's not very good at keeping her shoes from catching on the sides. A little six-year-old girl, named Lucia, was there playing and enjoyed showing off all the things she knew how to do on the playground. Nora enjoyed watching. In fact, Nora refused to leave until Lucia's grandmother made Lucia leave, and then we could go.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-26-angelic-morning/4830096759_29553e226c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="New hat atop playground slide">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-26-angelic-morning/4830096759_99070865cc_b.jpg" alt="New hat atop playground slide"/>
</a>

With her new hat, sitting atop the playground slide platform.

At the grocery store she was fairly friendly as the swarm of middle-aged housewives admired her in her new hat. As usual, one of them gave her a piece of bread, and then they all watched nervously as she stuffed piece after piece into her mouth. Shopping done, we headed home to prepare some soup for Nora.

We had thawed some chicken broth from a week ago overnight and I heated it up with some little round pasta balls that Nora likes. She ate her entire plate, which she often doesn't do. Something tells me that not having her 3-4 morning cookies today made a difference. A few minutes of playtime while Daddy cleaned up from lunch, and it was off to daycare, where she trotted happily into the playroom, and only cried a bit when the daycare worker plucked her from my hand. All in all, it was a wonderful morning of parenting. They aren't all this nice, so it's important to enjoy and remember the good days.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-26-angelic-morning/4830529412_a6cb377c3c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Strike a Pose">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-26-angelic-morning/4830529412_1f7f843919_b.jpg" alt="Strike a Pose"/>
</a>

Looking fabulous, waiting for lunch to be prepared. My little angel.


Angelic Morning


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-23-agua/4820996695_9649963ac7_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Long Tongue">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-23-agua/4820996695_2c34aaa705_t.jpg" alt="Long Tongue"/>
</a>

Today I took Nora to the pediatrician to learn the results of a blood test she had recently. Her mild anemia has been rectified by the iron supplements we've been giving her. I mentioned to the doctor that we're mildly concerned about Nora's language development. Her only word is "no". No _mamá_, _papá_, mommy, daddy, bread, water, _pan_ or _agua_. It's also totally unclear to me whether or not she understands anything at all that we say. Confirmation bias makes it easy to remember the times she gets a command or question correct and all too easy to forget when she has some random response. The doctor asked if we thought Nora's hearing was okay, and I said there's no doubt that her hearing is great. Whenever there's the faintest bit of distant music, Nora's [gettin' jiggy wit' it](/2010/04/15/dancing-baby/). The doctor said that Nora's situation is a little unusual by this age, but that being in a bilingual household is known to retard initial language development. In the philosophy of "better safe than sorry", she's referred us to a specialist that is somehow going to "evaluate" her at some not-yet-made appointment in the near future. I'm almost more curious to see the means of evaluation than to get the result.  Later, at lunch, I taught her to say "_agua_". Whether or not she understands that the word refers to the clear, odorless, thirst-quenching liquid is anybody's guess. But she sure did have a good time saying it! _Agua_ is considerably easier to pronounce than its consonant-laden English counterpart.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-23-agua/4821408556_bce26e2daf_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora's Corner - El Rincón de Nora">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-23-agua/4821408556_508fb17472_b.jpg" alt="Nora's Corner - El Rincón de Nora"/>
</a>

This is Nora's favorite "corner" of the kitchen. She is already showing that cat-like propensity children have of trying to fit into the smallest space possible, and I think she really likes having the two stools and bar surrounding her. Recently she's been staying in this little fort while I wash the dishes in the kitchen.


Agua


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-21-bathtime-fun/4814751779_26013d59c1_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Bathtime Fun (frame cap)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-21-bathtime-fun/4814751779_06fc3a08ef_t.jpg" alt="Bathtime Fun (frame cap)"/>
</a>

 by erikrasmussen, on Flickr")Well, Nora, you keep getting more and more interesting to be around. You have no trouble whatsoever pulling yourself up to standing on almost anything, but you still lack the ability to stand up from a sitting position pushing off only the floor.

Sometimes you surprise me, like when your grocery store friend, Tona, recently asked you, "_¿Dónde está la nariz?_" and you pointed to your nose. I immediately asked you, "Where is your nose?" and you gestured correctly again. But you either forget things or choose not to do them. You've completely stopped saying your first word, [Up](/2010/05/10/up/). And your rhinolocation trick happens so rarely that seems an awful lot like chance. But you do communicate. Boy, do you communicate!! With gestures. It's obvious to anyone around you when you want to be picked up or where you want to go when you are being held. As soon as you are in someone's arms, you are pointing in the direction you want your newly tamed steed to go. Oftentimes you will point to a bookcase full of items and make us either guess which item you want, or pick you up and take you to the bookcase until the granularity of your point is so fine that you're holding the object you wanted already.

The only two words you use regularly are the interjection of surprise, "Oy!", and the word "No!" And oh my, do you ever make your displeasure about the state of the world known! It's very important to you who is touching – or not touching – objects and surfaces around you. At your grandparents' house last weekend, we were bathing you in the little bathtub on their kitchen table, and you would get absolutely _incensed_ if anyone put their hands on the bathtub as you were playing in it. "No no no no!!", you'd shout, removing their hands from the tub. It was so cute that we had quite a good time annoying the crap out of you (figuratively, this time).

Our friend, Luisma, was just visiting from England, and by the second day you could somewhat tolerate his presence. The game I like to play with you, because it involves me resting and you getting worn out, involves a yellow wind-up chick that hops across the room. I wind it up, we both watch it hop a couple meters away, and then you go get it and bring it back to me. Whenever Luisma made even the slightest movement to help fetch the chick, you shouted "No no no no no no!!!" and ran as fast as you could, while gesticulating wildly and holding on to the table, to get the chick. After recovering it, you'd glower at him and mumble indistinguishable swear words under your breath like the Looney Tunes characters do. You're really not very nice with people.

Your bipedal balance is improving each day, and sometimes you forget that you still really should be holding on to something or someone and you trot across the room. With only the slightest hand holding you have the confidence to sprint around, often leading, ironically, to you needing the hand to catch your fall. All the parents that say that, "One day my kid just started walking!" seem, to me, to be like your afternoon diaper, if you know what I mean. Every time I think about declaring, "She can finally walk!" you trip over something or lose your confidence. It's such a gradual gradient.

You know, Nora, we can only make the "well, she's learning two languages" excuse for you for so long, you know. At some point you're going to have to start talking with _our_ words and not [your words](/2010/06/04/use-your-words/).

We had played for quite a few minutes in the tub before I decided to get the camera. Your tendency to get irate when people touch your things means that when you have three objects, there's always one that's available for me to grab, which makes you put down one of the ones you have to take it away from me, and we repeat the process. It's awfully cute, and I really do think that you understand that it's play and are not just getting more and more angry with each round.


Bathtime Fun


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-16-fun-with-arithmetic/4798391913_8cafd2164e_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Solutions to Friday Puzzle by Goal Value">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-16-fun-with-arithmetic/4798391913_37885ec88e_t.jpg" alt="Solutions to Friday Puzzle by Goal Value"/>
</a>

I'm an avid reader of [Richard Wiseman's blog](http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/), and I find his Friday Puzzles to be particularly fun. [Today's puzzle](http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/its-the-friday-puzzle-68/) is as follows:

> How can you place the arithmetical signs â€˜+\\' and â€˜-\\' between the consecutive numbers 123456789 so that the end result is 100? So, for example, you could go…..
> 
> 12+34+56-7-89 , but that would make 6, so that doesn\\'t work.
> 
> Try to come up with the method that uses the least number of symbols.

My first thought was, "It would be _so_ easy to write a program to try all the possibilities!" So I did. Thirty minutes and 41 lines of javascript code later, I had this: .test-button { text-decoration:none !important; padding: 5px; font-size: 1.2em; background-color: #cfc; color: black !important; border:1px outset #999 !important; } .test-button:hover { background-color: #9f9; border:1px outset #999 !important; } .test-button:active { border-style: inset !important; } .inputs-table { border: 1px solid #ccc; margin-left: 150px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .inputs-table td, .inputs-table th { padding: 5px; } .inputs-table th { text-align:right; } #results { text-align:center; } #results ol li { text-align:left; } #calculationStatus { text-align:center; margin-top:15px; } 
<script type="text/javascript">function test() { function next(slots, operations) { for (var i = 0; i < slots.length; i++) { if (!slots[i]) { slots[i] = operations[0]; return slots; } else { var index = operations.indexOf(slots[i]); if(index+1<operations.length) { slots[i] = operations[index+1]; return slots; } else delete slots[i]; } } return null; } function makeEquation(slots) { equation = ['1']; for(var i=0;i<slots.length;i++) { if(slots[i]) equation.push(' '+slots[i]+' '); equation.push(i+2); } return equation.join(''); } var resultsList = document.getElementById('resultsList'); if(resultsList) resultsList.parentNode.removeChild(resultsList); function printResult(equation) { var resultsList = document.getElementById('resultsList'); if(!resultsList) { resultsList = document.createElement('ol'); resultsList.id = 'resultsList'; document.getElementById('results').appendChild(resultsList); } var result = document.createElement('li'); result.appendChild(document.createTextNode(equation)); resultsList.appendChild(result); } var operations = ['+', '-']; var numDigitsSelect = document.getElementById('numDigits'); var slots = new Array(numDigitsSelect.options[numDigitsSelect.selectedIndex].value-1); var goalValue = document.getElementById('goalValue').value; var calculationStatus = document.getElementById('calculationStatus'); calculationStatus.innerHTML = 'Calculating...'; var numResults = 0; while(slots != null) { var equation = makeEquation(slots); if(eval(equation) == goalValue) { numResults++; printResult(equation + ' = ' + goalValue); } slots = next(slots, operations); } calculationStatus.innerHTML = 'Found ' + numResults + ' results.' }</script>

How many digits?

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Goal Value

[Generate Equations](javascript:test();)

## Charting Number of Solutions

Once I had the code to quickly generate the solutions for any arbitrary goal value, I decided to see if there was a pattern in the number of solutions between the goal values from 1 to 100. There isn't.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-16-fun-with-arithmetic/4798391913_8cafd2164e_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Solutions to Friday Puzzle by Goal Value">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-16-fun-with-arithmetic/4798391913_37885ec88e.jpg" alt="Solutions to Friday Puzzle by Goal Value"/>
</a>

Click to see large.

## The Code

It's just a matter of changing the operation in each slot between nothing, + and -, and when you roll back to nothing, you increment the next slot. Javascript's built in eval() function came in very handy to calculate the value of each equation.

function test() {
  function next(slots, operations) {
    for (var i = 0; i < slots.length; i++) {
      if (!slots\[i\]) {
        slots\[i\] = operations\[0\];
        return slots;
      }
      else {
        var index = operations.indexOf(slots\[i\]);
        if (index + 1 < operations.length) {
          slots\[i\] = operations\[index + 1\];
          return slots;
        }
        else
          delete slots\[i\];
      }
    }
    return null;
  }
  function makeEquation(slots) {
    equation = \['1'\];
    for (var i = 0; i < slots.length; i++) {
      if (slots\[i\])
        equation.push(' ' + slots\[i\] + ' ');
      equation.push(i + 2);
    }
    return equation.join('');
  }
  var resultsList = document.getElementById('resultsList');
  if (resultsList)
    resultsList.remove();
  var operations = \['+', '-'\];
  var slots = new Array(document.getElementById('numDigits').value - 1);
  var goalValue = document.getElementById('goalValue').value;
  while (slots != null) {
    var equation = makeEquation(slots);
    if (eval(equation) == goalValue)
      printResult(equation + ' = ' + goalValue);
    slots = next(slots, operations);
  }
}


Fun With Arithmetic


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-13-ipad-baby-apps/4790956746_351b8c78db_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="iPad Baby Apps">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-13-ipad-baby-apps/4790956746_5dc40e6cd5_t.jpg" alt="iPad Baby Apps"/>
</a>

We continue to encourage Nora to play with [her iPad](/2010/05/17/ipad-for-a-13-month-old/). She definitely like the sounds it makes; her favorite is the oinking pig, which she likes to [dance](/2010/04/15/dancing-baby/) to. While she clearly understands that she needs to touch the screen, but she tends to be too quick in her pokes, and her actions either result in dragging the icons around or the icon she's going for is simply not triggered because her touch is so fast. At the moment, the iPad remains a "noise box" to her, but I have little doubt she will learn to control it within the next year. And then it's just a matter of time before the Pentagon gets hacked.  Here she is playing with [BabyApps: All-In-One](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/babyapps-for-ipad-all-in-1/id367683367?mt=8), by [Blue Onion Soft](http://blueonionsoft.com/).


iPad Baby Apps


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-12-spain-wins-the-world-cup/4785757271_9d7e54b6d9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Spanish Family">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-12-spain-wins-the-world-cup/4785757271_1dd3d1939e_t.jpg" alt="Spanish Family"/>
</a>

We began World Cup final Sunday evening by heading to nearby Laredo, where we'd heard there might be a big screen set up on the beach. We were certain that we couldn't take a 15.5 month old child to an enclosed space with Spanish fans because she'd die of fright from all the screams. We discovered that the beach screen was only a rumor, and the real big screen was in the old town hall square. We took one look at how packed the square was with people and turned around and headed back towards Colindres, but not before spotting a group of old ladies wearing red-yellow-red striped headbands singing [_A Por Ellos_](/2010/07/08/spanish-soccer-chants-world-cup/).

Once back in our home town, we chose our favorite soccer-viewing bar, _El Vapor_ (The Steam), which is only about two hundred meters from our house. The twin brother of our friend with the restaurant in Laredo was already seated at a prime table, and he informed us that he was leaving before the game began and promised us his table. We would spend the game outside on the sidewalk looking into the bar through the glass to a projected screen. And it was a good thing we were outside, because, well, let's just say that inside the bar, it lived up to its name. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-12-spain-wins-the-world-cup/4785754581_c835819ecf_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Spain Fans Laredo (90 min before World Cup Final)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-12-spain-wins-the-world-cup/4785754581_4ee76cac41.jpg" alt="Spain Fans Laredo (90 min before World Cup Final)"/>
</a>

 by erikrasmussen, on Flickr")

The old town hall square in Laredo, with 90 minutes left until kickoff.

The game was exciting from the very beginning. And I soon discovered that, due to the slope of the sidewalk away from the bar, I had to stand up to see the screen. No problem. I can stand up for 90 minutes. I admit to being nervous the entire game. So nervous, that the beer and snacks I had bought streamed steadily down my soar-from-screaming gullet.

Nora had a good time, as well. Her primary daycare caretaker, Nella, was also at the bar. She's so wonderfully selfless that she spent most of the time when the game wasn't on, the hour beforehand and halftime, playing with Nora. Nora also spent most of the match calming her nerves with snackfood, little mostly-air corn puff things the Spanish call _gusanitos_, or "little worms".

In the second part of overtime, I took exhausted Nora from her mother to give the latter a break, and we watched the game projected, from the bar, onto the side of a nearby building. The outdoor projection had just then become visible with the sun going down at 10:30 PM. Soon, Marga came up and took Nora, accusing me of bouncing the poor exhausted thing around, possibly singing [_A Por Ellos_](/2010/07/08/spanish-soccer-chants-world-cup/). I was excited, what can I say? When the goal occurred soon after, in minute 116, the place went _WILD!!!_ Screaming, shouting, horn blowing, jumping, hugging... And we were in a fairly low population venue. I can only imagine what it must have been like in Laredo...nevermind Madrid!

During the blur that was the last four minutes after Iniesta's goal, during my dancing around with the Spanish flag as a cape (Which really keeps in a lot of heat! Good to remember in case I ever find myself homeless), some blond teenagers walked up and began talking to me in English. They were some boy scouts from Belgium that were camping nearby and were hitchhiking to Laredo for the big party. It was a strangely surreal encounter.

A good time was had by all, but after the game parental duties dictated that we not partake in the enormous nationwide fiesta, so we headed home and I put Nora to bed and Marga and I watched some of the post-game coverage by the ecstatic Spanish news team. It was a shame that Puyol and Xavi would ruin such a wonderfully uniting national moment by parading around the Catalonian flag instead of the Spanish one, but such is the separatist nature of Spain. At least captain and goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, got in a good [on-live-television I-can't-help-myself kiss](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GxlTC73IfU) with his gorgeous sports reporter girlfriend, Sara Carbonero.

Spain currently holds the [European Cup](/2008/06/30/euro-2008-champions/), the World Cup, the Tour de France, the French Open, and Wimbledon. Some Spaniards like to claim the NBA Championship because of Pau Gasol as well, but that seems like a bit of a stretch. Spain dominates in Formula 1 and Moto GP as well. No one can deny that this is a good time for Spanish sport.

_¡Enhorabuena, España!_

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-12-spain-wins-the-world-cup/4785757271_9d7e54b6d9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Spanish Family">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-12-spain-wins-the-world-cup/4785757271_1dd3d1939e_b.jpg" alt="Spanish Family"/>
</a>

Spain fans. It really is too bad that Nora won't remember this.


Spain Wins The World Cup!


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-09-the-clothes-pin-game/4776824813_facdd92f3d_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="The Clothes Pin Game">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-09-the-clothes-pin-game/4776824813_ec823f7b4a_t.jpg" alt="The Clothes Pin Game"/>
</a>

One of Nora's new favorite games involves clothes pins. In Spain, most people live in apartments and almost no one has a clothes drier, so everyone dries their clothes by hanging them from their balcony, which is often overlooking an internal courtyard of the building, not the street. As a result, every Spanish house has a bag or basket of clothes pins on their balcony. The game involves her mother placing her on a window ledge to the balcony where we keep our clothes pin basket. Nora proceeds to pull clothes pins out of the basket and throw them on the floor, expecting her mother to pick them up. They have a great time playing this game.  At least she picks them up at the end with her telekinesis.

My long term readers will be pleased to notice that the little nubbin of cactus we tore off [the original](/projects/cactus-cam/) has grown and is producing flowers for the first time this year.


The Clothes Pin Game


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-08-spanish-soccer-chants-world-cup/2624395694_6daab5e266_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Go Spain! (cropped)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-08-spanish-soccer-chants-world-cup/2624395694_a52fddca01_t.jpg" alt="Go Spain! (cropped)"/>
</a>

 by erikrasmussen, on Flickr")Over the course of the World Cup 2010, I have seen increased traffic to [my utterly useless page](/2008/07/02/what-are-those-crazy-spanish-soccer-fans-saying/) about Spanish soccer chants. So I have decided to write this page to actually inform the curious internet searchers about what those crazy Spanish soccer fans are on about. 

## A Por Ellos

This is by far the most common. "_A por ellos!_" means literally "Go get them!". It's the kind of thing that [Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_Rosco_P._Coltrane) might tell his deputies to do. Add some vowel sounds like OH and AY on the end, and you have a song:

> _A por ellos, oo ee A por ellos, oo ee A por ellos, oo ee A por ellos, ee oo ee_

## Podemos

The second is an exclamation, "_¡Podemos!_", which literally means "We can!" This was [used very widely](/2008/06/11/podemos/) during the Euro Cup 2008, [which Spain won](/2008/06/30/euro-2008-champions/). It's a blatant rip off of Obama's campaign slogan, "Yes we can!", which is a blatant rip off of [Cesar Chavez's slogan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%AD_se_puede), "Sí­, se puede!" (Yes, it can be done), used in civil rights protests for the United Farm Workers union in the 1970's.

## Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol

This is less of a soccer chant and more of a drunken party chant, but I assure you it will be sung in the Spanish sections of exciting soccer matches. Because the letter H is silent in Spanish, the word "_alcohol_" often sounds like it just has two syllables. It goes like this:

> _Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol alcohol alcohol Hemos venido a emborracharnos Y el resultado nos da igual_

In English, that's:

> Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol alcohol alcohol We have come \[here\] to get drunk And we don't care about the result

Very mature, don't you think?

## Yo Soy Español Español Español

This one is pretty simple. It translates to "I am Spanish Spanish Spanish!"

## Que Viva España

This one means "Long live Spain". With some lo lo lo lo's thrown in to make it more of a song.

If there are any Spanish soccer chants I've left out, please leave a comment.


Spanish Soccer Chants - World Cup


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-08-world-cup-final-2010-beer-can-edition/4773816023_04713a3f82_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="World Cup Final: Beer Can Edition">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-08-world-cup-final-2010-beer-can-edition/4773816023_ac5c63e2a9_t.jpg" alt="World Cup Final: Beer Can Edition"/>
</a>

Ice cold beer cans glistening with condensation...what better way to celebrate Holland and Spain making it to the finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. One of them will win their first ever World Cup. Who will it be? I don't know, but I'm going to be drinking some ice cold lager and enjoying every minute of the game.  Sorry, I forgot to warn you that this post may make you thirsty.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-08-world-cup-final-2010-beer-can-edition/4774454044_f2746a8253_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="World Cup Final: Beer Can Edition">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-08-world-cup-final-2010-beer-can-edition/4774454044_3959c99e2f_b.jpg" alt="World Cup Final: Beer Can Edition"/>
</a>


World Cup Final 2010: Beer Can Edition


![thumb](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-06-pulpo-paul-the-psychic-cephalopod/paulspain.jpg)Today I walked into my local grocery store and said with a wink, "Hey, do you guys sell German flags? I want to hang one on my balcony." (Hanging the Spanish flag on one's balcony is a common way to show support for the Spanish World Cup team who will face off against Germany tomorrow in the semi-finals.) My grocer friend, Andrés, said, "Have you heard the story of Pulpo Paul (Paul the Octopus)?" I assumed he was about to tell me a didactic Aesop-esque fairy tale about why one shouldn't be such a cheeky jerk, but he turns to the checkout computer and pulls up this internet video to show me...  Apparently this octopus in Germany, named Paul, has successfully predicted five out of five of Germany's World Cup results so far, even leaving his home team to correctly pick a win by Serbia. He chooses the victor by wrapping himself around a box with the flag for that team.

After a [scandal involving a photoshopped image](http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/2010/07/desperate-spain-fakes-world-cup-octopus-prediction.html.php) of Paul picking Spain, they finally had him make his selection, and, for the semi-final match tomorrow, he has chosen...... **_SPAIN!!_**

Of course this is all a load of hooey, and that, with complete chance, a coin or octopus or rock would be correct in five matches or 3.125% (1/25) of the time. Still it's kind of funny and probably has the Germans a bit worried. I recommend they cook him Galician style.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-06-pulpo-paul-the-psychic-cephalopod/4420033304_e335c76a60_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Octopus Plate">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-06-pulpo-paul-the-psychic-cephalopod/4420033304_c5cfaf1e63.jpg" alt="Octopus Plate"/>
</a>


Pulpo Paul: The Psychic Cephalopod


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763281865_cbf7893b26_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="July Fourth Hamburgerfest">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763281865_39d9cb7e7e_t.jpg" alt="July Fourth Hamburgerfest"/>
</a>

We had another successful Hamburgerfest this year for July 4th, with friends Agustin, Ana, Ivan, Veronica, Manolo, Elena, José Luis, and Azucena attending. In 2009, we came up almost short on hamburger meat, so this year we decided to make sure that definitely didn't happen. As a result, we have about eight hamburgers left over to freeze or eat this week. Nora was _very_ well behaved with the guests once her initial "who are all these people in my living room??" confusion wore off. And they were very good about warming up to her slowly. Agustin fed her a pretty big portion of his dessert of flan, ice cream and whipped cream, which endeared him to her at least for the duration of the dessert course.  After the meal, the men lounged around on the sofa (is it a compliment to the chef if someone you make a cheeseburger for asks for a difibrilator?) and played cards and the women talked and looked at our wedding album. Several times Nora seemed to forget that she needs someone's hand to walk across the room and she walked solo a dozen paces. So she had quite an Independence Day!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4758112023_df98071bfe_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="July Fourth Hamburgerfest Meat Purchase">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4758112023_e82df8abea_b.jpg" alt="July Fourth Hamburgerfest Meat Purchase"/>
</a>

The meat purchase. A.k.a. The pursuit of happiness. 3.4 kilos of happiness.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763281865_cbf7893b26_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="July Fourth Hamburgerfest">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763281865_39d9cb7e7e.jpg" alt="July Fourth Hamburgerfest"/>
</a>

All the fixin's.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763324193_8b6a3c8d88_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Eating Dessert">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763324193_e51ae5de61.jpg" alt="Eating Dessert"/>
</a>

After Agustin and Nora were done with Agustin's dessert, he gave her the bowl. I think you know where this is going...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763294399_63b6572b7b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Eating Dessert">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763294399_0a6767fa5f.jpg" alt="Eating Dessert"/>
</a>

Pouring caramel on her neck and down her shirt.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763952540_41213fdf43_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Eating Dessert">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2010-07-05-july-4th-hamburgerfest-2010/4763952540_534489ab8a.jpg" alt="Eating Dessert"/>
</a>

Peek-a-boo!

Happy birthday, America! Anybody want a leftover hamburger?


14 posts from July, 2010