No Times de hoje #138

Anunciado no Times de ontem e cumprido hoje: o número 1 do World trade center (que dá pelo nome de Liberty tower) é já o prédio mais alto de Nova Iorque.

Primavera #19

descubra as semelhanças

Espantos #324

Warning signs (in English and Spanish!) at the post office door read:

"Armed robbery of a postal employee or postal facility carries a prison sentence up to 25 years upon conviction."

_____________

Avisos (em Inglês e Espanhol!) na porta dos correios:

"Assaltos à mão armada de funcionários ou estações dos correios, incorrem numa sentença de 25 anos de prisão após condenação." 

Foi neste dia #172 (1521)

Fernão Magalhães morreu nas Filipinas há 491 anos em Mactan, numa batalha "encomendada". Não se tratou de batalha ao serviço do rei espanhol, que Magalhães servia, mas antes da garantia de uma aliança com um soberano local (Rajá Humabon de Cebu) sob condição de enfrentar um inimigo deste (Datu Lapu-Lapu)... como tantas vezes aconteceu com os Europeus na Ásia. 

Magellan ou Magallanes, o português que na história ficou marcado pelo avanço científico da primeira viagem de circum-navegação terrestre, morreu ingloriamente num conflito local e acessório.

Coisas que não mudam #185

No matter what, dogs love you and enjoy your company.

Coisas que não mudam #184

Diada de Sant Jordi el 23 d'Abril

Parece que estou a ouvir #132

I wonder where you are tonightBill Monroe
Tonight I'm sad, my heart is wearyWondrin' if I'm wrong or rightTo dream about you though you left meI wonder where you are tonight
The rain is cold and slowly fallin'Upon my window pane tonightAnd tho' your love was even colderI wonder where you are tonight
Your heart was cold, you never loved meAlthough you often said you caredAnd now you've gone and found anotherSomeone who knows the love I shared
The rain is cold and slowly fallin'Upon my window pane tonightAnd tho' your love was even colderI wonder where you are tonight
Then came the dawn the day you left meI tried to smile with all my mightBut you could see the pain within meThat lingers in my heart tonight
The rain is cold and slowly fallin'Upon my window pane tonightAnd tho' your love was even colderI wonder where you are tonight

______________

There's a funny contrast in Bluegrass. The sound and rhythm are usually happy and upbeat, but most of the lyrics are pitiful and sad. This song is a full-fledged example.

Earth Day

Blooming google doodle today

Death penalty

Connecticut recently repealed capital punishment, the fifth state doing so in the past five years. So far, seventeen of the fifty states have eliminated the death penalty. In most states that have it, the number of inmates on death row is larger than the number of executions since 1976, given the various levels of appeal and the non-negligible chance of executing innocents. Exceptions are Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Virginia and, unsurprisingly, Texas.

Foi neste dia #171 (1912)

Fenway park opened 100 years ago. Boston, you know we love you madly...

Palavras lidas #188

The situation of the Company servants in Japan or China was in sharp contrast with that in India. In Japan the Dutch were isolated on the island of Deshima, in the harbour of Nagasaki, that they were not allowed to leave apart from the annual courtesy visit to Edo, which was made by the chief officer and his following. For the rest they were dependent on the small circle of interpreters. Japanese were not allowed to stay in Deshima either, although there was one exception to this, namely for ladies of pleasure, who the servants could 'order' via the interpreters. Sometimes long-lasting relationships grew up with Japanese women, but children from such a relationship were not allowed to leave Japan and had to remain with their mother.

p. 78

Parece que estou a ouvir #131

Keep on Trying

Poco

I've been thinkin' bout all the times you told me,
You're so full of doubt you just can't let it be but I know,
If you keep on comin' back for more and I keep on tryin',
I keep on tryin' and

I've been drinkin' now just a little too much,
And I don't know how I can get in touch with you,
Now there's only one thing for me to do is to keep on tryin'
To get home to you,
And I feel so satisfied when I can see you smile I,
I want to confide in all that is true so I,

Keep on trying I'm thru with lying,
Just like the sun above I keep on shinning thru, oh yes I'll,
Keep on trying I'm tired of crying,
I've got to find a way to get home to you,

I've been thinkin' bout all the times you held me
I never heard you shout the flow of energy was so fine
Now I think I'll lay it on the line and keep on tryin'
To get home to you,
And I feel so satisfied when I can see you smile I,
I want to confide in all that is true so I

Keep on trying I'm thru with lying
Just like the sun above I'll come shinning thru, yes I will,
Keep on trying I'm tired of crying
I've got to find a way to get home to you

Espantos #323

Enquanto o CR-v está a arranjar, o carro de substituição é

um jipe

liberty.

Qual tanque de guerra quadrado, mas serve!

Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) 2012

Started yesterday (April 18th) evening and ends this evening (April 19th). This year, the Yom HaShoah coincides with the start of the 18-day Warsaw Ghetto uprising on April 19th 1943. In the press.

Foi neste dia #170 (1987)

Há 25 anos, os Simpsons apareceram na tv pela primeira vez.

Parece que estou a ouvir #130

Elenore

The Turtles

You got a thing about you
I just can't live without you
I really want you Elenore near me
Your looks intoxicate me
Even though your folks hate me
There's no one like you Elenore really

Elenore gee I think you're swell
And you really do me well
You're my pride and joy et cetera
Elenore can I take the time
To ask you to speak your mind
Tell me that you love me better

I really think you're groovy
Let's go out to a movie
What do ya say now, Elenore can we?
They'll turn the lights way down low
Maybe we won't watch the show
I think I love you, Elenore, love me

Elenore, gee I think you're swell
And you really do me well
You're my pride and joy, et cetera
Elenore, can I take the time
To ask you to speak your mind?
Tell me that you love me better

Elenore, gee I think you're swell, ah-hah
Elenore, gee I think you're swell, ah-hah-hah

Coisas que não mudam #183

Granizo do tamanho de bolas de golf faz estragos. No meu carro o arranjo foi avaliado em $3,100 cobertos pelo seguro, com uma franquia de $500. Certas mossas são bem grandes e o avaliador do seguro não está certo de que a reparação se possa fazer sem estragar a tinta... no caso de ser necessária pintura o custo será bem maior. Deixarei o carro na marca para reparar brevemente. Entretanto, já por duas vezes, me deixaram cartões ou postais no pára-brisas:

prometem reparação perfeita sem pintura e nem franquia.

Tudo depende da vontade de desembolsar $500 para ter o serviço da marca, ou do grau de aversão ao risco de cada um para arranjar o carro numa qualquer oficina, ainda que com décadas de experiência e mão-de-obra especializada. De qualquer forma, as condições atmosféricas adversas fazem negócio!

Coisas que não mudam #182

My iPad's smart cover has finally arrived.

Got it at Amazon for less than half the price charged elsewhere, so I didn't mind the longer shipping time. But only now I understand it. The package was sent directly from China.

Curious detailed description of contents: "Toys."
Indeed!

Caprichos #203

Cinco anos depois veio o segundo par de botas... e o chapéu!

Ditto #201

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

--Unknown