> marika wrote:
>> Frank Kalder wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>
> [Corpse Flower]
>>>>
>> I have actually seen that flower but I can't remember where. There's
>> more
>> than one in display in the US. I suspect it was last year at the
>> Smithsonian. When we visited the butterfly exhibit for my mother's
>> birthday. Butterflies are one of her favorite things. She and my father
>> are out right now, tending to their monarch butterfly farm. Yes, they
>> have
>> a sizeable one, and they also raised swallowtails.
>>
> Nice co-incidence :)
>
>> On the news, they said that NY and DC and LA were on the list as targeted
>> cities in the plot that the UK authorities uncovered tha was to occur on
>> the
>> 16th. So that is an interesting symbolic connection.
>>
>> Of course I am a skeptic and believe that if the bombing started it was
>> only
>> a small test run, and that what is really stored in those canisters or
>> would have been was dirty nuclear material, though of course I am prone
>> to
>> exhausting bouts of imagination.
>>
>> I also noticed a news report although I was sleeping at the time, by some
>> military expert, who said that the Israel actions on Lebanon were just a
>> trial run. That this is all in preparation for an attack on Iraq, a
>> practice run if you will. Sounds sort of logical to me.
>>
> You mean Iran (instead of Iraq), I'd assume.
You assumed good.
I am really bothered about what I hear about the west coast. There were
very brief reports about seattle seaport closures this week, due to some odd
chemical sitings.
As soon as this news came on, it was interrupted and almost completely
eradicated by this preposterous Ramsey thing. I can't help but wonder why,
since the US government was certainly aware that this man had been trying to
confess now for several months (before Patsy Ramsey died), why did they pick
the day that the Seattle Seaport got closed to bring the man in from
Bangkok. Very weird. Especially since it is all but 100 percent clear that
he didn't do it, no matter what else he may have done.
>
>> I have also noted the relative absence of hurricane predictions this
>> year.
>> Although they certainly will occur. Some believe they will hit a more
>> northerly Atlantic location this time, owing to the extreme heat that has
>> affected ocean currents. DC and New England are expected to be affected.
>>
> We'll observe that...
>
>> Don't know how much you may watch CNN weather and the Weather Channel,
>> but
>> some years back for some odd reason, the wxcrew -- professional tv people
>> refer to weather as wx -- are no longer good enough to be merely
>> meteorologists or wxcrew.
>>
>> No, now they're "Severe Weather Specialists".
>>
> I watch CNN very rarely (just for a few minute).
>>
> But the really relevant stuff [for Europeans] I'm getting, as far as
> TV is concerned, via n-TV (Bertelsmann media group) who is closely
> associated with CNN. Thus, your additional advice on the US part of
> such news is very much appreciated.
>>
>> I thought meteorologist sounded cooler and more sophisticated, myself.
>>
> Yeah, me too!
>
>> CNN bosses (they own the WX Channel) have forced the Wx Channel into
>> being
>>
> Well, I won't mind. We find "cool" abbreviations allover :)
>>
>> "The Hurricane Authority"
>>
>> I would NEVER look at anyone other than WxChannel as authority on severe
>> wx
>> . . .
>>
>> at least in tv media
>>
>> but, that's just geeky me.
>>
> Wow, "geeky"... - Thanks for this demonstration of the term :)
geeky is an old term from carnival days, geeks were those that had physical
deformities or other oddities about them, and the only decent living they
could otherwise make was as carnival sideshow items. The term geek got more
and more incorporated into the US English for person who considers
themselves odd for one reason or another.
>
>> I'll be in a hotel for the week, so don't know access ability til end of
>> week. just fyi
>> since I will be in center city phila, i may do some exploring with some
>> stories to tell thereafter.
>>
>
> Have a pleasant stay!
> I'll enjoy reading your stories, then :)
>
I can't say that I have anything but typical tourist stories this time.
First, the hotel was the Sheraton in the very oldest part of town, very
historic and very lovely.
http://www.cn-turkey.com/world-wide-hotels/online-hotel-reservations.asp?HotelID...
The first night, we got out and about and reexplored many part sof the city
that I had seen many many times, and even lived near. Penn's Landing,
www.pennslandingcorp.com/ ,
Society Hill
http://www.aviewoncities.com/philadelphia/societyhill.htm
New Market
http://www.ushistory.org/birch/plates/plate16.htm which used to house a
large dairy
South Street were all nicely refurbished and very lovely to visit. Many
more attractions than I had ever seen in the past.
http://www.southstreet.com/
South Street was full of new eateries and shopping places. It was once
famous for the 1960's hippies
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/orlons-south-street-lyrics.html
then the next decade brought punk rockers
now it's commerce and fun
here's a link to some famous Philly food
http://www.elliottsamazing.com/phlfood.html
I filled up on some of my favorites while there, especially Tasty Kakes and
soft pretzels
South Street is also tourist heaven for getting a famous Philadelphia Philly
Cheese Steak.
Most tourists are steered to either Pat's or Jim's. But, we tried a new one
called SOS which I think stands for Steaks on South. Although my companion
had a steak sandwich, I had a just as famous meatball sandwich.
The next day the entire class attended a banquet at a restaurant called
Ploughs and Stars. I was shocked that no one out of a group of more than 30,
many with Irish backgrounds, recognized the origin of the name as an Irish
play from the early 1900s. I was fascinated to see that a movie of this
play was produced as well.
http://poll.imdb.com/title/tt0028112//
I sat across from a person who I had met several years earlier and got to
know her better. She told me about a person who was "incompetent" and was
talking about satellites the entire time. Naturally they thought she was
talking about seeing aliens. Turns out she thought the aliens were
plentiful because of all the "satellite parking" signs in the area.
Definitions of Satellite Parking on the Web:
a.. Also known as Park 'n Ride, satellite parking is located on airport
property, but is not directly connected to the main terminal building, and
so offers cheaper parking rates than the parking garages
www.orlandoairports.net/goaa/glossary.htm
It's hard to judge a restaurant in a banquet atmosphere, but it was really
very observant of the Irish pub look.. The salmon dinner was quite good,
but oddly they made one of the best mojitos I have ever had.
The final night, I went seeking the Painted Bride Art Gallery, a place I had
gone many times in the past.
It moved to just around the corner from our PHila office. Unfortunately,
there did not seem to be any activity in the summer althought the rest of
the year they have excellent performances and music. The facade of the
building is
http://paintedbride.org/ apparent a little from this shot on the
website, a most interesting glittery mosaic.
Then, for evening, I went alone (as mostly no one else had as far a trip as
I to Roanoke and had all gone) to a restaurant, the Amada.
http://amadarestaurant.com/
Really incredible tapas. I like that more than meals, because you can taste
so many more things. THey had REAL anchovies, not fillets, which I love. I
had my dinner at the end of the bar pictured here. Check out the menu as it
is truly worth it. Here's a list of the specialty cocktails, which have
very sexy names and also, the ones I sampled were out of this world.
SPECIALTY COCKTAILS
BAD EDUCATION / Orange Mojito w/ Fresh Mint & Lime
LABYRINTH OF PASSION / Passion Fruit & Melon Margarita
LAW OF DESIRE / Ginger Lime Martini
TALK TO HER / Spiced Pear Cognac Martini w/ White Wine
HIGH HEELS / Ruby Red / Grapefruit Mimosa
MATADOR / Pomegranate Cosmo w/ Raspberry Liqueur
TIE ME UP TIE ME DOWN / Lemon Rosemary / Martini
ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER / Lavender White grape Gimlet
WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN / Mango & Coconut Colada
In case you are wondering, but maybe not, I am still angry and depressed.
This trip to Philadelphia reminded me how much I love this city, and how
much more I love it than DC/ And how much, although I love my house, how
much I despise Roanoke living.
mk5000
"A rip that heals behind, the only trace of you
Like beads upon a string, your necklace left behind
A path that blurs and slowly vanishes from sight
We hear your voice, a shriek of triumph"--polly moller, auroria
