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Toady, May 20, is World Bee Day
I thought you may like to see a few Bee photos for #WorldBeeDay
Toady, May 20, is World Bee Day
I thought you may like to see a few Bee photos for #WorldBeeDay
OK folks strap yourself in for this ride. You will need stamina, food, drinks and a possible toilet break as I have been unrelenting in snapping away with all manner of things. I was going to break the photos down into subject groups in separate posts, but I thought "What the heck, you can scroll through at your own pace."
What better way to start the day (or post) than with a sunrise from my besties new place
Let's start with things. I don't know what to call this bunch of photos as they are different. Enough talk. Off we go!
I found these gelatinous blobs on the beach, hundreds of them. Perhaps baby jelly fish?
When you see a land form that resembles something else
The planes have been showing themselves a bit in October.
Just love these rock cliff, the colours and again, can you see a face?
The moss gave the tree a bit of a dress with a vine for dramatic effect.
More moss. This time at the waters edge at the beach
The rock pool took on an ethereal mood
Just the shelf at my besties place
When I put on this lamp, I just had to take the photo. Another shelf at my besties
October saw the rain come. This dam, I use the water around the house and garden, was about one-eighth full. Seeing the water flow into the dam cured my blues.
The waterhole on my place never is dry but came very close this year. Seeing it full again made me happy. I think the birds and animals are pleased as well
Waterfalls make such a soothing sound don't you think? Even little waterfalls that help fill the waterhole.
Of course a bit of rain and sunshine brings out the fungi
Fungi of all shapes and colours. Some big….
…some small
and some are edible
I love Grass Trees. These are at a place called Naughtons Gap. They are bigger than some of the Grass Trees on my place.
A wonderful discovery was a whole street in Grafton lined with Bottle Trees. This will be investigated as to why and how and perhaps a bushboy post about the history of the Bottle Trees in Grafton may evolve.
The early morning dew and spiders webs. I can't resist
Sitting having a cup of tea with my bestie when a large Skink wandered about the garden. Wonderful markings aren't they?
Would you believe that this tree is called a Cheese Tree?
Just an ant having a swim. He did get out eventually.
The flower and a bee. The flower is on what is called a broad leaf weed which is supposed to be undesirable in a lawn. Look at the bees pollen sacks. I don't think the bee would be as happy if the "weed" wasn't there. Think before you mow please.
Just a feather
and another
The Forest Kingfishers have arrived. The male looked about for anything that moved in the grass or the garden.
The colours on his back are lovely.
This photo shows a bit more of the iridescence
Galahs are funny birds. This bloke is sitting on the stock trough on next doors place at my besties
It's a bit of a way down to get a drink.
Another arrival in Spring are the Grey Shrike Thrush. They are in the trees around the garden and sing in the morning and in the afternoons. What a delight to have in my garden.
The Pied Currawong didn't mind a bit of rain.
Doesn't he look great. The black with the red of the Flame Tree
The Fig Bird was spotted eating Mulberries
So was his mate
A Coucal Pheasant came for a visit and sat high in the Gum Tree.
Later on, I think he was checking me out through the undergrowth.
Another October visitor, a Brown Honeyeater
He soon found the bird bath
The Blue-faced Honeyeaters have arrived in numbers to feast on the Honey Gem Grevillea
The female Blue-faced Honeyeaters also drop in for a snack
Remember the post about the Post where the Noisy Friar Bird was chased away by the Spangled Drongo. Here Rainbow Lorikeets get a serve from the Friar Bird. A bit of a peck to the head.
The Rainbow Lorikeets were a bit bemused by all the carry on.
A female Satin Bowerbird enjoyed the nectar in the Yamba Sunshine Grevillea.
But like everyone else, the Honey Gem Grevillea is the best place to get a meal.
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters seem to have a constant scowl on their faces.
I think this Yellow-faced Honeyeater spotted me and my camera
The gravity defying White-throated Treecreeper taken from the comfort of the chair in my office
They are lovely as they hop up and down the trees looking for something to eat.
Another photo from my office chair. I call this one, "I can see what you are doing" is what the King Parrot is saying.
A young King Parrot morphing into a male
Getting a good Eastern Rosella photo quest continues
Out for a drive, we spotted a smallish bird run across the road and into a paddock. A new bird has been seen, an Australasian Pipit.
On another adventure drive, we spotted flashes of green zooming across the road. A flock of Rainbow Bee Eaters were hanging about. This is a breeding pair
Aren't the males colours amazing?
You may wonder why we are back at a couple of young King Parrots. I thought it was lovely to have them sitting on a hanging pot under the verandah, until I spotted what they were doing
Yes, these "lovely" young birds had eaten half of the succulents in the pot. All around the pot, the succulent trailed over the edge. Can you see the bit trailing over the edge now. This hanging pot is no longer hanging where pesky King Parrots can get at it.
Water drops and new growth
I love the colour of this Succulent. Was tempted to pinch a leaf or two
I love the colours in this photo of a Hanging Violet with red in the background
A lovely Native Geranium growing in the "lawn" Another reason not to mow
Pansies, pansies, pansies
and more Pansies
This year the Silky Oaks flowering was spectacular
A flower of a Succulent
The Budlea flower spike wonderful and smells delightful
Some of the Roses looked a treat this year
A pink Bottlebrush flower
The native water lillies on my dam. Water Snowflake
The rain knocked a lot of the flowers off the Flame Tree. The little cups filled with water
Some native flowers that grow on my place. This yellow beauty is Dogwood
I think this native flower is a Hairy Guinea Flower
I have been encouraging a lot of Egg and Bacon plant to grow on one part of my property. It's spikey habit is good for protecting small birds when it is in a fairly dense thicket
Plus the flowers are lovely. You can see the sharp points in the leaves
A small pink Grevillea.
My besties flower beds are looking great
and yet more flowers
This flower has caused great excitement for me. This is the first time I have seen a Hakea Florulenta on my property.
Aren't the tiny flowers delightful?
The early morning fog gives a sense of wonder to start the day
Of course when it rains, you also find rainbows. This one had a faint double above.
Well, the sun is setting and you have reached the end. Well done for sticking around to get to the end and thanks for having a look at my October 2018
Did you have a favourite photo?
I really enjoy discovering new things as well as seeing things through the lens of my camera in a different way. So far this year the rains that are usually around just haven't come. But the middle of this month there was a good fall of 60mls and the follow-up rain arrived a week later with 15mls. This rain was the best since the 1st June when 22mls fell. The change to the landscape has gone from browns and yellows to a tinge of green and new shoots appearing on many plants.
The new shoots on the Native Wisteria suddenly started to appear.
The Pine Trees new cones came in a variety of shapes. Some in a random way.
With others seemingly more ordered. The Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos will be pleased.
The plum trees are flowering, some in groups.
While others are singles on the bare branches.
There is plenty of insect activity too. Some plants have evidence of insect activity like these leaves.
Some plants visitors are more obvious. This little beetle was very camera-shy and kept walking away from the camera despite my efforts. Those red legs were very determined to trudge away!
The Raspberries had a mixture of fruits and flowers but mainly flowers. The fruits were hard to find and weren't all that nice to eat, but looked good.
I had never really looked at Raspberry flowers. They are quite pretty.
The bees seemed to think so as well. They were buzzing around going from flower to flower.
They were very intent on their pollen collecting.
The bees were also drawn to Fireweed. I can see why someone decided that they would be pretty in the garden, not realising what they would end up doing to the paddocks.
As always, there was an Eastern Yellow Robin nearby to see what was flushed out with the weed pulling going on.
While higher up the Little Wattlebird kept an eye on things.
But much, much higher up still, a Brahminy Kite wheeled over head.
During a drive into Ballina, we came across a puddle on a small park where a small flock of Plumed Whistling Ducks were having a good time wandering about.
I have never seen Plumed Whistling Ducks before. They are a very striking bird.
Seeing them really made my weekend. They have great plumage don't they? Hope you enjoyed a bit of my weekend.
Bees are a necessary part of life……they add colour and sound to the garden as the buzz around the flowers. There are so many different bees in all sizes, shapes and colours. The native bees are so small compared to the other larger types.
I was informed by Carmen
@Honey_Delight that a healthy bee was fat and furry. This blue bummed bee scrunched, sometimes you have to scrunch, in the Blue Ginger must be rather healthy don't you think?
Whew……it is such a relief to be able to stretch out and get zooming off to the next flower
The little native bees often share the pollen from the flowers. They are nearly always in a group when the smell the sweet flowers are full for them to collect.
After a storm, the native bees even gathered the pollen from the fallen flowers of the Bangalow Palm. I love how the pollen sacs glisten.
No matter what you do, there is always someone watching…….
And when they get going, boy can they buzz along, even when they have a load of pollen aboard.
Hope you have enjoyed a buzz around the gardens with me and the bees……
Come along on an adventure with us!
ACTION Speaks LOUDER Than WORDS
"Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." ~ Proverbs 23:18
The ramblings of a retiree who cycles and cooks in France
immersed in nature
Looking for meanings in words, images and sounds
My stories, my poems, my thoughts
Life on the Big Island of Hawaii
Random musings on life, society, and politics.
iPhone Photos From In My Daily Life
With a touch of Composites & Digital Art
Music * Movies * TV * Books * Games * Humor * Road Trips * Healthy Eating * Tips & Tricks * Saving Money * Resources
Philosophy is all about being curious, asking basic questions. And it can be fun!
Minimalism - Textures - Abstraction
A Journal Of Everyday Life
Adventures and Postcards from the road
Photographically Inspired Writing


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|Collection Desc 2016 Summer
|Collection Category Mika Special
|Movement Quartz
|Packaging Type Special
|Water Proof Meter 3 Bar
|Artist Mika
|Strap material Silicone
|Strap Clasp Material Plastic
|Strap buckle Buckle
|Case Shape Round
|Case Material Plastic
|Case Size Large
|Warranty 2 years warranty
|Case Width Millimeter 41.00 mm Thickness Milimeter : 9.85 mm Height Millimeter : 47.40 mm
Reinforcing their partnership, Swatch and Mika have released a brand new Swatch Art Special. MUMU-CUCURRUCUCU (SUOZ210), a brilliant New Gent, features a luxuriously engraved, gold-colored dial with bright, geometric designs on the front and back of the silicone strap. The special packaging embeds the brand-new watch in a mysterious world full of colors and out-of-this-world designs.
Battery Change
Set the Date
Set the Time

subset: commoncrawl


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South Korea has launched large-scale artillery drills near the border with North Korea amid heightened tensions between the two neighbors.
According to South Korea's military, a total of 300 artillery systems deployed along the border began firing shells simultaneously in multiple directions on Thursday afternoon.
The South Korean army said that there was no sign of any unusual military response by the North.
An unnamed South Korean army official said the number of artillery mobilized in Thursday's drills was the biggest ever, adding that the simultaneous shooting in all major frontline areas was a departure from previous exercises.
The border between the two Koreas is the most heavily fortified in the world.
The two countries occasionally exchange gunfire along the frontier and near a disputed maritime border.
In recent years, South Korea has held several joint military drills with the United States.
Pyongyang is irked by joint Seoul-Washington military maneuvers, viewing them as direct threats to its security.
Tensions have been flaring in the region since January when North Korea said it had successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb, its fourth nuclear test, and vowed to build up its nuclear program as deterrence against potential aggression from the US and its regional allies.
A month later, Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket which it said placed an earth observation satellite into orbit. However, Washington and Seoul denounced it as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.
North Korea says it will not abandon its nuclear "deterrence" unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and dissolves the US-led command in South Korea. Thousands of US soldiers are stationed in South Korea and Japan.
Press TV's website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:


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With technology evolving like it has in the recent decades, designs, processes and planning are now more complex and intricate than ever. There has been a continuous rise in demand of products, which Fracht has analyzed and adheres to. The technical supply systems present a challenge to keep new products safe, secure and delivered successfully. Fracht provides world class service to the technology industry. We focus on delivering your product to the market on time and ensuring your freight shipping needs are satisfied. Fracht's prime objective is to optimize your supply chains, meet tighter production schedules and operate on the basis of lean production principles.
Our services deliver quality solutions with the best practice-value mix and with the flexibility demanded by the world's leading technology companies:
– Transport Management
– Warehouse & Distribution
– Service Logistics
– Lead Logistics Provider (LLP)
– International Supply Chain Management
– Purchase/Order System Management


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photos by Shan Moore
From KTM – Support rider Steward Baylor claimed his fourth win of the season at the fifth round of the AMA National Enduro Series to further strengthen his hold on the series point standings.
Baylor started the day well with a win in the first special test section. His biggest challenger of the day was Husaberg's Mike Lafferty who was able to take the win at the second test. Baylor came back strong in the third test and also claimed the fast time in the fifth and sixth tests.
At the end of all six tests he was able to edge out Lafferty to claim is fourth win of the season. Now five rounds into the series, Baylor holds a 32 point lead in the series point standings.
Two other KTM riders joined Baylor in the top five. KTM rider Jesse Groemm was able to secure 4th overall while Factory FMF/KTM rider Russell Bobbitt earned a 5th place result. Unfortunately, Bobbitt's teammate and the winner of third round of the series, Cory Buttrick, suffered a crash early in the first test section injuring his knee. Buttrick was unable to complete the test section and sat out the remainder of the race to get his knee evaluated.
From Husqvarna- Andrew DeLong and Fred Andrews Racing (FAR) gave Husqvarna a historic return to the podium in the AMA National Enduro Series.
With temperatures in the 90's, Forest Hill, Louisiana played host to the Cajun Classic National Enduro, round five of the series. Recording times of fourth or better on each of the six tests, DeLong put his TXC310 into third overall, giving Husqvarna its first National Enduro podium in decades. "We made a few changes to my TXC310 this week," DeLong commented. "Obviously they paid off!"
Andrew pushed his TXC310 through the trees of Louisiana's Cajun Classic finishing as high as second in test number three. "It was really slippery; there were pine tree roots everywhere," DeLong described. "I just held on and tried not to crash, I was close a few times, but didn't hit the ground until about 15-feet before the finish." Third overall marked a career-best for DeLong in the National Enduro Series. Andrew was also the only four-stroke in the top ten at the Louisiana round.
"I am just so proud of these guys," team manager Fred Andrews said. "Andrew and Nick both rode so well today. It was really a great day in the FAR pits!" Nick Davis put in a solid effort aboard his TC250, but a crash on test five ended his day prematurely. The 17-year-old chose to pull out of the race after injuring his knee.
From Husaberg- Mike Lafferty put in a remarkable ride at the fifth round of the AMA National Enduro Series where he earned 2nd overall after a close battle for the lead position throughout the race. His teammate Nick Fahringer earned 6th overall.
Lafferty, who had completely revamped his training program for 2012, came to the Louisiana race course ready to give point's leader Steward Baylor a run for his money. Lafferty started off well taking the third fastest time in the first section, but knew he needed to pick up his pace in order to challenge for the win.
In the next test he proved he had the speed to run with the best and took the win in that special test. He finished third in the next test and followed that with the fastest time in the fourth section. In the final two tests he was able to finish second and was just barely edged out by Baylor for the win. Lafferty's second place result at this round helped move him up in the point standings. He now sits 32 points down from Baylor in the championship standings.
"It was a really challenging race," remarked Lafferty. "This was the first race of the year with really hot weather conditions and that took a toll on a few riders. I was happy that my hard work has paid off and I was able to challenge for the win today. My goal is to get a win this season as it will mark my 70th National Enduro win."
His teammate, Nick Fahringer, had a decent ride at the Cajun Enduro. Fahringer earned three top five special test results and was able to secure 6th place overall
The riders will now take a one month break before returning to the series for the sixth round of the series to be held inUpton,WYon June 17, 2012.
May 23, 2020
May 5, 2020


text: Anderszewski Plays Schumann - Video #music #culture Piotr Anderszewski talks about Schumann The Polish-Hungarian composer received the award for Best Instrumental Disc in magazine's public vote, as well as the main Jury Prize for Recording of the Year for his live rendition of of works by Robert Schumann Piotr Anderszewski is one of the world's most brilliant contemporary pianists. The Independent has called him "breathtaking and 'unforgettable". music albums piano


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Plantar fasciitis discomfort can uncomplicated by going for walks. even in Doerun, Georgia

Click here

If someone succumb hefty heel discomfort affiliated with the plantar fascia, your self comprehend how proscribing the soreness can be.

Towards take out of ache quick, stick to People 5 most important ways.

1. If it is sore feet then ICE

The plantar fascia is a huge ligament that connects in opposition to the heel bone (calcaneous) toward the ball of the foot (metatarsals). Plantar fasciitis is swelling of this tissue. Utmost plantar fascia soreness comes about inside of the in part of the heel and into the arc Place. With all inflammatory diseases, doing away with swelling is an substantial portion of removing agony. Ice is an simple implies of eliminating swelling. The excellent course towards ice the plantar fascia is towards employ an ice cup. Fill Styrofoam cups with drinking water and freeze them. Peel of the supreme of the cup and therapeutic massage the uncovered ice above the heel and arch place for 5 minutes a number of instances a working day.

2. Loosen up

Sadly, any game that triggers agony is way too enhancing swelling. The optimum preferred annoying game with the plantar fascia is going for walks. The initial methods within just the early morning are fundamentally the even worse and as the plantar fascia stretches, the discomfort boosts. On the other hand, the excess oneself are upon your toes, specially with going for walks, the bigger the tissue gets irritated. Despite the fact that on your own are savoring ache by yourself are incorporating in the direction of the swelling. Hence, in direction of receive out of suffering speedier, decrease reputation and going for walks as prolonged as by yourself experience suffering. sore feet

3. Footwear

Though a little bit of a sticky make any difference, a greater part of sneakers that are worn do not supply the provider required towards get rid of plantar fascia disappointment. Greatest individuals savoring plantar fasciitis are likely in the direction of contain adaptable ft. Therefore in just get in direction of do away with plantar fascia annoyance, supportive sneakers should really be worn. Greatest sometimes a favourable few of working footwear, labeled as harmony or movement take care of, will be the easiest guess within selling the expected security. sore feet

4. Inserts

For some, the seek the services of of supportive footwear by yourself is not adequate towards offer you the demanded service. Around the counter inserts and tailor made orthotics can be drastically productive within advertising provider. On the other hand, personalized orthotics can be alternatively highly-priced. For that reason, hoping a organization/demanding (not gels or cushion) increase can be a optimistic initially remedy. It is critical in direction of take note that an incorporate is not a choice for supportive footwear and must be worn alongside one another.

5. Stretch

Stretching the calf muscle tissues is an necessary portion towards getting rid of plantar fascia pressure. The calf muscle tissues, such as the gastroc and soleus, connect in direction of the again of the heel. Anxiety towards People muscle mass pulls again upon the heel, creating anxiety upon the plantar fascia. A superior route in the direction of extend the calf the initial detail inside of the early morning, right before by yourself consider your initially techniques, is in the direction of hook a towel upon the ball of your foot and despite the fact that trying to keep the knee directly pull back again upon the towel. Retain the extend for a minimum amount of 30 seconds and repeat a several moments. A different course towards extend the calf is toward place the ball of your foot at the advantage of a stair stage and permit your heel towards sink down. Retain the extend for 30 seconds with your knee specifically and 30 seconds with your knee a bit bent.
Plantar fasciitis can be an aggravating situation. Comply with these types of techniques regularly and your heel discomfort with make improvements to within just no season.


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Really expensive goods are only consumed when we've got enough of everything else, but you probably shouldn't go shopping for a high-end anything with your last dollar.
It's unfortunate that most of the time, kindness is managed the same way. We need more reserves, perhaps, before we can expend some of what we've got in a generous way.
We've had a hard day, it's raining out, the world is changing, our boss is mean to us, the checking account is overdrawn, we're on a deadline and the beat goes on and on.
However, does every need have to be filled, every emotion in place before we're capable of being kind? Do we have to have enough money, enough confidence about the future and enough of everything else we think we need before we can find the time to offer someone else a hand?
It turns out that the opposite is true because kindness is a foundation for all the the rest of it. It turns out that investing time and resources in extending ourselves shifts the rest of our needs in precisely the right direction, not only putting us closer to satisfying those other needs, but enjoying the journey a little bit more, as well.
Truth Be Told, kindness rewards the giver as well as the receiver. Now, that would be a great way to start the new year!


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Monday's Mythology
Monday's Mythology
Mr. Clay Barham presents this following statement (Only Two Revolutions) as foundation for his personal mythology and opinions as "Christian" and "Libertarian in the Jeffersonian sense" of modern governance.
"Revolution implies changing how we live and are governed. There have been only two successful revolutions in our world. It is not the American, French or Russian, or any political conquest. The first was the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. 1600 years later, followers of Jesus established a New World in America where His teachings gained traction. People accepted the few ruling the many, until these two revolutions. Jesus taught only individuals were responsible for their own thoughts and deeds, and removed escape from God into the cover of community as an option. Redemption is only for individuals. Rulers see individual freedom to pursue legitimate self-interest a threat to community interests, as defined by them. Socialists, liberals, Muslims and Democrats condemn America and all who advocate individual self-interest. It undermines their ideas that a few wise elite should rule the many. It explains their anti-Christian bias as well."
This individualist-theocratic view, complete with the arrogance expressed from this Dominionist position, is apparent within the reality of Word History as Mr. Clay Barham regurgitates his personal understanding, personal mythology, with bias and zeal of the newly converted. Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islamism, the cultural shifts from hunter-gathering cultures to "civilized city states" the Socratic revolution, The rise and fall of the Roman Empire the Renaissance, the industrial revolution are all of no value within Mr. Barham's zealous assertions. They, however, work to dispel the assertions of Mr. Barham's opinion of "only two revolutions" and help to enlighten as to how these assertions are not completely accurate as applied to the theology of Christianity or the United States and inextricably to Western European Culture. This false assertion serves only to support the allegations of Mr. Barham within his rather shaky Dominionist Christian assertion of "revolution" as strongly individualistic and only possible on an individual basis. "You must be born-again" is the clear message as if he has already taken up residence in the C-Street house in Washington, DC.
My assertion is that there are billions of revolutions as each human consciousness grasps the shamanic reality of a personally known God or lack thereof and both maintain validity within revolution. This notion that it is the concept of Christianity that has created the democratic rule and success of America and Americans denies the very central concept of individuality and becomes totally dependent upon conformity with the community, the Christian mob mentality. Individual redemption, individual responsibility and the independent and individualistic action of the American Citizen are negated with this Christian Dominionist world view as expressed by Mr. Barham. The assertion that the Cults of Jesus with their Geneva Bible created the most successful free economy and society is pure Christian Bigotry in openly denying the contributions of the hundreds of other cultures and millions of individuals who contributed but do not share this community theology. America is not "a Christian" nation but a nation of religious freedom to which Mr. Barham speaks with contempt of the diversity that created this great nation.
The structure and hierarchy of the Catholic Church, the foundation of Christianity, is very much a monarchy with the infallible Pope's edicts dispersed through the Cardinals, Bishops and Priesthood to the congregations. Provided the clear world view of Mr. Clay Barham the Catholic Church is therefore relegated to "Socialists, liberals, Muslims and Democrats" categorization of his sweeping view. It would therefore be accurate to define the Catholic Church as anti-christian according to Mr. Barham. An interesting position, to say the least, considering the Christian Churches are all loosely structured similarly to the Catholic.
On the North American continent, when Western European Christians invaded, lived the Haudenosaunee people who were highly civilized, organized into a functioning political structure (the League of 6 Nations) upon which modern American governance is loosely structured. The indigenous peoples negotiated treaties, trade agreements, defined loose boundaries for territorial claim and held congressional meetings to conduct the business that directly effected all tribes in peaceful discourse in a largely democratic process of the Longhouse. A successful form of individual governance based on the family, the tribe and the nation but worthy of destruction by the Christian Dominionists who later adopted similar governing philosophies.
The Western European invasion delivered plagues, genocide and war, stealing Native American lands and destroying their culture; all from the mythology of that "Christian Dominionist Western European Society" that they carried with them was and is somehow morally superior or divinely directed as more worthy than the native culture, religions and individual lives. The people of the Iroquois, The Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca later joined by the Tuscarora were virtually wiped out of existence in these actions of Christian ignorance and arrogance within their society and this fact clearly defines the social and moral impetus of the Christian tradition within the United States as we know it today. Consider yourself American Aboriginal whenever you hear a Christian Dominionist speak because the end result of Christian Authority is annihilation of anything substantially differing from their narrow, bigoted and petty world view. There is no celebration of the individual within the Christian tradition. There is only the Preacher led mob mentality of the congregation, the collective upon which each "church" is built and is dependent upon for funding through the process of tithes, their voluntary tax on prayer.
These Native American peoples were sensitive and highly aware husbands to the lands, to the forests and to the native wildlife with which they found harmony and balanced living as an integral portion of the total ecology. Controlled burns to create pasture, agriculture within the ecology and non-invasive and non-permanent development all benchmarked the harmonious-with-the-natural- world-methods of livelihood that these indigenous humans enjoyed for millenium prior to the Western European Christian Dominionist invasion. Land ownership was a foreign concept because how could anyone own what was created for all peoples and all life by the divine?
The Western European brought to this new land the beasts and agriculture that he was familiar with in cows, goats, pigs, barnyard fowl, the crucifers and root crops of Western European subsistence farming. Western Europeans brought with them the contempt of nature inherent with Dominionist Christian Philosophy and ultimately held these successful native peoples in contempt with the righteous indignation that is only born of Christian arrogance of Dominion. There is no respect of or harmony within the natural world systems for the Western European or Christian Dominionist with his "divine direction" to rule over all.
The Iroquois, the tribe that I'm most familiar, did not hold the sexist ideology of the Western European who "owned" his wife as chattel. The distinctions between humans, in the eyes of the aboriginal, were foundations for celebration not castigation in that all peoples, all life, is equal in the eyes of the creator. Recognition of the full spectrum of human sexuality was fully accepted and this flew in the face of the repressed Christian providing the impetus for the destruction of anything, any human with a difference that is at the very foundation of Western European and Christian Dominionist mind-sets. There is no harmony with nature or within self as a direct result of "original sin" in the finest Calvinist tradition and no reward exists save in the great beyond. This then is the second of the revolutions that Mr. Clay Barham espouses in his born-again glory and in- the-moment mythology.
One Response
Excellent! I'm keeping a hard copy of this.


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We often hear news about co-stars falling in love, sometimes for promotion but other time for real. However, at times even if the pair is dating, they tend to keep it a secret. Well, the reason behind it is quite mysterious but if General Hospital's Billy Miller and Kelly Monaco are dating in real, wouldn't that make all of us happy? Well, the gossip says something similar.
Miller's increasing closeness with his on-screen partner Monaco gives us a hint of something spicy. Rumors tell us that they are planning a secret wedding but how true is that. Let's find out?
If you are a viewer of 'General Hospital' you might notice that Miller who plays the role of Jason Morgan shares a great level of chemistry with his on-screen lover Sam McCall portrayed by Kelly Monaco.
Billy Miller and rumored girlfriend, Kelly Monaco
Source: Pinterest
The couple seems to be spending time outside of the sets which indicates their off-screen chemistry as well.
Billy was spotted spending quality time with his rumored girlfriend Kelly back in 2015 in Malibu. Kelly was seen wrapping him in her arms while the pair was seen inside the ocean of Malibu beach.
Billy Miller spotted with rumored girlfriend, Kelly Monaco in Malibu beach
Source: We love soaps
The whole incident grabbed a lot of media and fan's attention. It created quite a chaos inside the 'General Hospital' set.
During an interview, Kelly spoke about her relationship rumor with her co-star. She said that Billy is nothing but a good friend of her. On the show, it is only Kelly and Billy who are single, that's why they hang out together outside their workplace.
Billy Miller with on-screen partner Kelly Monaco
Source: Pinterest
Since Kelly gave such clarification, it's not fair to still doubt her relationship with Billy. But just thinking about how amazing couple they would be in real life makes us crazy.
Watch Kelly Monaco interview in GHC:
You might be thinking if it is not Kelly then who? Well, the 37-year-old star doesn't seem to be dating anyone. He is neither secretly married nor has a low-key girlfriend which makes his relationship status totally single.
This might appear as great news for all the ladies out there who has a crush on Billy. Honestly, why wouldn't they? As Billy is not just a great actor, but he is enriched with good looks, charming face, hot body and everything else girl might want to see in their guy. Since Billy isn't dating Kelly, you might have your chance on him. Good luck!
For more updates, stay connected with Frostsnow.


text: Categories 007 Daniel Craig James Bond Movies How good are you? Post author By theQuotes.me Post date March 15, 2020 No Comments on How good are you? James Bond: Quantum of solace (2008) Continue reading "How good are you?" Quote it:TwitterFacebookLinkedInRedditTumblrPinterestTelegramWhatsAppEmailMorePrintPocketSkypeLike this:Like Loading... Tags 2000s, 2008, Bolivia, Bond Movie, Bond one liners, Bond Quotes, Bond series, enemies, enemy, Friends, James Bond, judged, location, Power, quantum, Quantum Of Solace, Relationship, skills, solace, Spanish, Strength, travel, weakness, you're judged by the strength of your enemies


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Well I'm sure gonna miss the Legacy Editor and what I'm gonna miss is how easy it was for me.
And my question is, are you just retiring the older version of the Legacy Editor and bringing in a newer version of the Legacy Editor so you'll still have a Legacy Editor but not the older version, that's what I'm wondering.
Jonathon Graves


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The L'Oréal Group has been running Brandstorm for 26 years, a game of strategy and business management for final-year students in higher education, which has already had more than 154,000 participants from 60 countries. In Portugal this initiative has been running for 14 editions and this year it approached L'Oréal Portugal's Professional Products Division, introducing youngsters to the challenge of reinventing a professional salon designed with the experience of the future.
For Gonçalo Nascimento, General Director of the Division of Professional Products in Portugal, the biggest challenge will be "to modernize the professional beauty market.With our business partners, we must inspire them to shape the future of this market.We want to lead innovation, recruit and retain new customers, develop our customers' businesses and scan our industry. "
The national final of L'Oréal Brandstorm took place on April 11 at the L'Oréal Portugal facility in Miraflores, with the participation of 11 finalist student teams from the partner universities: Catholic University, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Ciências Labor and Enterprise (ISCTE) and Faculty of Economics of Porto (FEP).
The victory was attributed to the team Hair We Are, from Nova SBE – School of Business & Economics, consisting of Joana Marchão, Ilaria Vazzoler and Sabrina Giovisi. This team introduced the Pixel Experience, which reinvents the experience in the hall with the millennials, in four steps.
The jury of the Portuguese final was constituted by: Cátia Martins, CEO of L'Oréal Portugal; Gonçalo Nascimento, General Director of the Division of Professional Products; Mónica Serrano, CMO L'Oréal Portugal; Patrícia Piloto, General Director of the Lúcia Piloto Group; and Maria João Vieira Pinto, Editorial Director of Marketeer.
The international final will take place in Paris on May 17, where the finalists of the various countries will defend their proposal before the international jury.


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Credit Card Consolidation Duluth MN
Learning in Duluth Minnesota how to merge credit card debts is one of the best things card holders can do. Duluth credit card consolidation is perfect for those people in Duluth who are looking to better their credit for the future in Duluth. There are lots of benefits for card holders in Duluth that benefit from credit card management. If you are thinking about credit card consolidation, then there are two things in Duluth you must look into before doing this in Duluth MN. Use these tips as a guide to debt relief.
There are several great factors to credit card management programs. One of the greatest factors in Duluth is to have better rates. If a better rate in Duluth can be had by you with a local credit management service than you currently have in Duluth, then there's many reasons to consolidate your debts. Merging your cash lenders can include up to substantial savings in Duluth. Look up all of your interest rates from each quick cash advance lending and write them on the list in Duluth. Then note the new quick money loan rate you would be given. When the new credit card debt consolidating rate is lower than the average from the old credit relief rate, economic sense would be made by then to use a Duluth credit card consolidation service. If there are cash advance lending that have a lesser rate, then you may not have in Duluth to include them in your quick money loans agreement.
Another reason people in Duluth love to consolidate debts is to make their lives simple. By paying one debt relief, they can cut out a lot of anxiety and bills paying time. Your debts should not be consolidated in Duluth by you for this reason alone however in Duluth Minnesota. You don't want to spend more on cash fast loan in the long term just to save a little time. Using credit card relief programs also offers those with a bills mess a chance to get out of it. By using debt counseling services, they could be making lower monthly quick cash lenders payments than they would be if they did nothing in Duluth. By closing out other online cash lending accounts, their credit may even be improved in Duluth.
When considering credit negotiation, you should turn to specialists at sites such as Duluth credit card consolidation for an appointment. There are numerous credit card debt counseling issuers and banks that wish to help you with your request in Duluth. Make sure you do your research in Duluth so that when you consolidate debt in Duluth, you are certain you are making a decision in Duluth that is profitable to you. Ensure there aren't any hidden quick loans charges that various credit consolidation plans may have. Doing your research in Duluth can save your cash for the future in Duluth.


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Rp 399,000
New product
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NeuroCore® is the most explosive, super-concentrated pre-workout stimulant available! Unlike the other guys, NeuroCore features potent key ingredients in clinically studied amounts for maximum strength to deliver extreme energy, intense focus and superior workouts.*
NeuroCore contains a 3.2g clinical dose of beta-alanine in 2 scoops, to enhance the muscle- and strength-building process.*
Stout et al., 2006. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 20(4): 928-931.
NeuroCore is formulated with a research-tested dose of pure L-citrulline instead of L-arginine for intense, long-lasting muscle pumps. L-citrulline has been shown in research to reach superior peak plasma arginine levels compared to a larger dose of L-arginine.*
Schwedhelm et al., 2007. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 65(1):51-59.
A highly potent and unique creatine known as creatine HCl has been infused into the formula. Creatine is clinically validated to amplify gains in size and strength. This precise 3g dose per 2 scoops won't cause bloating and requires no loading phase!*
Hultman et al., 1996. Journal of Applied Physiology. 81(1):232-237.
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Spasov et al., 2000. Phytomedicine. 7(2):85-89.
Each bottle of CreaCore® features fully disclosed ingredients with nothing hidden inside proprietary blends. Also, each batch of CreaCore® undergoes strict quality control and is third-party tested and verified to ensure that each bottle meets the highest standards of purity, quality and consistency. You can trust that what is listed on the label is in the bottle!


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- Sylviane Morais, August 2012


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There are 2.7 million Indian immigrants in the United States, making them the second-largest immigrant group after Mexicans. This number has increased dramatically in recent years, growing 13-fold between 1980 and 2019. This article provides an overview of this population, which is more highly educated, likely to work in management positions, and higher-earning than the U.S. born and overall immigrant population, as this article explores.
Read Article
Even as the number of people making the dangerous journey through the Central Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe has declined since the migration and refugee crisis of 2015-16, the rate of deaths has increased. This article evaluates the role of Europe's hardening approach to trans-Mediterranean migration and the criminalization of search-and-rescue operations by nongovernmental organizations.
In the United States, Republicans and Democrats are deeply divided on immigration. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have offered sharply diverging policy positions, and the outcome of the election is sure to have profound consequences for the U.S. immigration system. Yet this partisan divide is relatively new. Just two decades ago, the parties were much more united on immigrants' role in the U.S. economy and society.
When he was elected prime minister in 2019, Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised what he called "strict but fair" reforms to secure Greece's borders and speed up transfers of asylum seekers crowding Aegean islands. Yet domestic and geopolitical tensions continued to roil the islands, later joined by a global pandemic, culminating in a fire that destroyed most of Lesvos's Moria refugee camp. This article examines Greece's efforts to strike a delicate balance on migration in a complex era.
Nearly 13 million immigrants have a four-year college degree or better. But these highly educated immigrants are not spread evenly throughout the labor market. They make up disproportionate shares of certain jobs, especially in the science and technology fields, accounting for 45 percent of software developers, 42 percent of physical scientists, and 29 percent of physicians. Yet there are signs that the trends of this population might be changing, as this article explores.
India has no refugee law and has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, leaving many of its estimated 250,000 recognized refugees in a legal gray area. Meanwhile, more than 450 million internal migrants form the foundation of the country's economy, yet often have trouble accessing government benefits, identity cards, and other services. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought these shared vulnerabilities into stark relief.
Los llamados de los activistas a "desbancar a la policía", a raíz de una serie de encuentros mortales para los miembros de la comunidad negra, hacen eco de las demandas anteriores de "abolir el ICE" y reflejar una crítica más amplia de los sistemas de aplicación percibidos como demasiado agresivo.
Whether as migrant-sending or migrant-receiving locations—or both—many countries have rich, complex international and internal migration histories. MPI's online journal, the Migration Information Source, offers profiles of more than 70 nations. Written by leading scholars, these profiles delve into countries' migration histories, demographics, policymaking, and more.
Though it has achieved success in some areas, the Trump administration's many efforts to stiffen immigration enforcement in the U.S. interior and at the Southwest border are being consistently stymied by court injunctions, existing laws and settlements, state and local resistance, congressional pushback, and migration pressures that are beyond the government's ability to swiftly address, as this article explores.
Citizenship and integration policies are often thought of as markers for whether a country is welcoming to immigrants. Yet research suggests that public opinion and political rhetoric play a bigger role in immigrants' sense of belonging. This article explores how boundaries between "us" and "them" are drawn through popular conceptions of nationhood and political rhetoric, and their impact on immigrants' belonging.
Approximately 1 million Korean immigrants—the vast majority from South Korea—resided in the United States in 2017. Korean immigrants tend to be highly educated and of high socioeconomic standing. Get the latest data on this population, including flows over time, geographic distribution, employment, and more in this Spotlight.
Even with the collapse of the Islamic State's "caliphate," thousands of Western foreign fighters are estimated to remain in the Middle East. Deciding how to handle the return of the radicalized—and their dependents—is no easy issue. Some countries seek to revoke their citizenship. Yet citizenship revocation has unclear impact and raises deep questions about the limits of a state's responsibility to its citizens, as this article explores.
Remain in Mexico—the Trump administration policy aimed at deterring the rising numbers of migrants from Central America by requiring them to stay in Mexico through most of their U.S. asylum adjudication process—bears striking similarities to U.S. policy in the 1980s and 1990s that sought to discourage Haitians from making the sea journey to the United States. This article explores the parallels and differences between Remain in Mexico and the earlier narrowing of asylum for Haitians.
Amid a sense of declining welcome in the United States, growing numbers of asylum seekers have crossed into Canada in recent months, entering illegally to take advantage of a loophole in the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement. The result? Refugee advocates and politicians in Canada are issuing growing calls to change or suspend the treaty. This article examines the treaty's history, effects, and current challenges.
In recent years, Switzerland has become a popular destination for highly skilled migrants, including from the Senegambia region of West Africa. Meanwhile, migration also flows the opposite way with Swiss migrants heading to Senegal and The Gambia. This article compares and contrasts the experiences of these migrants at destination as well as their motivations to migrate and attitudes toward remittances and citizenship.
Two significant migration shifts at the U.S.-Mexico border have been obscured by talk of walls and further border security: Mexicans no longer represent the top unauthorized crossers, replaced by Central Americans seeking protection, and flows are diversifying with increased arrivals of Cubans, Haitians, Asians, and Africans. This article sketches the evolving trends, which have key implications for U.S. and regional migration policy.
Climate-related displacement is not hypothetical: An average of 21.5 million people per year have been displaced since 2008 by natural disasters, and thousands more have fled slow-onset environmental hazards. While migration can serve as a safety valve to adapt to changing conditions, few orderly, legal channels exist for climate migrants (also known as environmental migrants), as this article explores.
Having emerged from a long era of military rule, Myanmar's leaders and many citizens are looking outward. In particular, with Burmese labor migration abroad on the rise, policymakers are examining ways in which to harness remittances as a vehicle for economic development, particularly in impoverished rural areas. This article explores Burmese labor migration flows, financial reforms, and challenges on migration and development.
From 1980 to 2013, the sub-Saharan African immigrant population in the United States increased from 130,000 to 1.5 million, roughly doubling each decade between 1980 and 2010. This profile provides up-to-date demographic information for sub-Saharan immigrants including location, educational attainment, workforce participation, and much more.
In 2013, 11.6 million Mexican immigrants resided in the United States, accounting for 28 percent of the total foreign-born population, making Mexicans the largest immigrant group in the country. Using the latest data, this Spotlight examines the Mexican immigrant population by size, location, language ability, workforce participation, and more.
Between 1960 and 2012 the share of Canadians in the U.S. foreign-born population declined from 10 to 2 percent, while the actual number of Canadian immigrants has remained remarkably steady. Using the most up-to-date statistics, this profile examines the Canadian immigrant population by size, age, location, college education, and more.
The once-tiny population of Vietnamese immigrants in the United States has grown to become the country's sixth largest foreign-born group in the span of several decades, with the first wave beginning at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. This data profile examines the Vietnamese immigrant population by size, recency of arrival, top states and cities of settlement, college education, sending of remittances, and much more.
The Dominican-born population in the United States has grown rapidly since 1960, and today, the United States is home to 960,000 immigrants from the Dominican Republic. This article provides up-to-date demographic information for Dominican immigrants in the United States, including statistics on distribution by state and metro area, educational and professional attainment, income levels, health care coverage, and more.
Despite skilled emigration outflows, Argentina consistently attracts new economic migrants from its neighbors in the southern cone of Latin America. Maia Jachimowicz of Princeton University reports.
Since its independence in 1991, Ukraine has expanded immigration and emigration rights – but it has also become a neighbor of the expanded European Union, a crossroads for illegal migration, and fertile ground for human traffickers. Olena Malynovksa of the National Institute for International Security Problems in Kyiv reports.
An estimated 8.1 million Filipinos — nearly 10 percent of the country's population — are living in close to 200 countries and territories. Maruja M.B. Asis of the Scalabrini Migration Center-Philippines explains how the country developed its emigration policies and measures to protect its citizens abroad.
On June 27, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to overhaul the U.S. immigration system on a scale not seen in decades. Despite this major breakthrough, it is clear that immigration reform faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives, where the dynamics are much different than in the Senate. This article assesses the prospects for immigration reform in the House, explores provisions of the Senate bill, the implications for U.S. immigration policy of the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act, and more.
As the U.S. Senate continues its debate over a bill to overhaul the nation's immigration system, the fiscal impacts associated with enactment of such legislation have emerged as a divisive issue. Following the release of an official congressional cost estimate on Tuesday, this article examines the crucial question of how immigrants' contributions to the tax base compare to the public benefits they would receive under S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.
After months of negotiations, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators informally called the "Gang of Eight" in mid-April introduced long-awaited legislation for sweeping reform of the U.S. immigration system. This article provides a summary of the Senate bill's provisions and outlines the main critiques and obstacles ahead, including a tight legislative calendar, a difficult political dynamic in the House of Representatives, and an early stumbling block precipitated by the Boston Marathon bombing.


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The Peruvian Winter exposes Climate Scientists as Charlatans
Week in Review
Our public schools are frightening our children about global warming. Warning them that summers will be hotter. And winters will be warming. Which will be a bitch for Santa Clause. As he drives a sleigh.
Back in 2000 newspapers wrote that science has proven global warming. It's settled. Worse, "Children just aren't going to know what snow is." Guess they didn't get that memo in Peru (see Peru snow state of emergency extended to more regions posted 8/31/2013 on BBC News Latin America and Caribbean).
The Peruvian government has extended to nine more regions a state of emergency called to cope with unusually cold weather and heavy snowfall…
The heaviest snow fall to hit Peru in a decade has killed tens of thousands of llamas, alpacas, cattle and sheep, and left farmers destitute.
According to settled science in 2000, what is happening in Peru cannot happen. But it is happening. It's cold. And snowing like a son of a bitch. Which means the climate scientists were wrong. Exposing them as the charlatans they are. Proving global warming is all about the politics. And not the science.
Tags: charlatans, cold, Global Warming, Peru, snow


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Pecorino Romaine Salad with Garlicky Lemon Dressing and Homemade Croutons
Pecorino Romaine Salad with Garlicky Lemon Dressing is a great recipe from Cooking Light.
I made a just a few small changes to this recipe:
1) Left out the anchovy paste because we're not big anchovy fans.
2) Added another tablespoon of lemon juice and another tablespoon of olive oil. The dressing was a little too thick and it didn't seem like the recipe made enough to coat the salad.
3) Misted the croutons with an olive oil sprayer instead of cooking spray.
4) Used a bagged romaine/lettuce/radicchio mix instead of just romaine.
This salad tastes a lot like a caesar and has most of the same ingredients. The star of the show is definitely the shaved pecorino Romano. The ciabatta croutons looked so good that I left about four slices intact to use as little appetizer toasts. We nearly ate all the cheese with the toasts before making the salad. Ooops.


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A young couple got married and left on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother. "Well, how was the honeymoon?" asked the mother. "Oh mamma!" she exclaimed. "The honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic!" N...
Read more of The honeymoon is over
Free Jokes.ca
Science Fiction Stories
Western Stories
Other Chapters or Short Stories
The Water-hole
The Ambush
What Happened At The Water-hole
An Evening At Las Palmas
Something About Heredity
A Journey And A Dark Man
Luis Longorio
Blaze Jones's Nemesis
A Scouting Trip
A Ranger's Horse
Judge Ellsworth Exacts A Promise
Longorio Makes Bold
Dave Law Becomes Jealous
Jose Sanchez Swears An Oath
The Truth About Panfilo
The Rodeo
The Guzman Incident
Ed Austin Turns At Bay
Superstitions And Certainties
An Awakening
What Ellsworth Had To Say
The Crash
Dave Law Comes Home
A Warning And A Surprise
The Water-cure
La Feria
The Doors Of Paradise
The Priest From Monclova
The Man Of Destiny
A Spanish Will
The Dawn
Blaze Jones's Nemesis
Heart Of The Sunset
Blaze Jones rode up to his front gate and dismounted in the shade
of the big ebony-tree. He stepped back and ran an approving eye
over another animal tethered there. It was a thoroughbred bay mare
he had never seen, and as he scanned her good points he reflected
that the time had come when he would have to accustom himself to
the sight of strange horses along his fence and strange
automobiles beside the road, for Paloma was a woman now, and the
young men of the neighborhood had made the discovery. Yes, and
Paloma was a pretty woman; therefore the hole under the ebony-tree
would probably be worn deep by impatient hoofs. He was glad that
most of the boys preferred saddles to soft upholstery, for it
argued that some vigor still remained in Texas manhood, and that
the country had not been entirely ruined by motors, picture-shows,
low shoes, and high collars. Of course the youths of this day were
nothing like the youths of his own, and yet--Blaze let his gaze
linger fondly on the high-bred mare and her equipment--here at
least was a person who knew a good horse, a good saddle, and a
good gun.
As he came up the walk he heard Paloma laugh, and his own face
lightened, for Paloma's merriment was contagious. Then as he
mounted the steps and turned the corner of the "gallery" he
uttered a hearty greeting.
"Dave Law! Where in the world did you drop from?"
Law uncoiled himself and took the ranchman's hand. "Hello, Blaze!
I been ordered down here to keep you straight."
"Pshaw! Now who's giving you orders, Dave?"
"Why, I'm with the Rangers."
"Never knew a word of it. Last I heard you was filibustering
around with the Maderistas."
Blaze seated himself with a grateful sigh where the breeze played
over him. He was a big, bearlike, swarthy man with the square-
hewn, deep-lined face of a tragedian, and a head of long, curly
hair which he wore parted in a line over his left ear. Jones was a
character, a local landmark. This part of Texas had grown up with
Blaze, and, inasmuch as he had sprung from a free race of
pioneers, he possessed a splendid indifference to the artificial
fads of dress and manners. It was only since Paloma had attained
her womanhood that he had been forced to fight down his deep-
seated distrust of neckwear and store clothes and the like; but
now that his daughter had definitely asserted her rights, he had
acquired numerous unwelcome graces, and no longer ventured among
strangers without the stamp of her approval upon his appearance.
Only at home did he maintain what he considered a manly
independence of speech and habit. To-day, therefore, found him in
a favorite suit of baggy, wrinkled linen and with a week's stubble
of beard upon his chin. He was so plainly an outdoor man that the
air of erudition lent him by the pair of gold-rimmed spectacles
owlishly perched upon his sunburned nose was strangely
"So you're a Ranger, and got notches on your gun." Blaze rolled
and lit a tiny cigarette, scarcely larger than a wheat straw.
"Well, you'd ought to make a right able thief-catcher, Dave, only
for your size--you're too long for a man and you ain't long enough
for a snake. Still, I reckon a thief would have trouble getting
out of your reach, and once you got close to him--How many men
have you killed?"
"Counting Mexicans?" Law inquired, with a smile.
"Hell! Nobody counts them."
"Not many."
"That's good." Blaze nodded and relit his cigarette, which he had
permitted promptly to smolder out. "The Force ain't what it was.
Most of the boys nowadays join so they can ride a horse cross-
lots, pack a pair of guns, and give rein to the predilections of a
vicious ancestry. They're bad rams, most of 'em."
"There aren't many," said Paloma. "Dave tells me the whole Force
has been cut down to sixteen."
"That's plenty," her father averred. "It's like when Cap'n Bill
McDonald was sent to stop a riot in Dallas. He came to town alone,
and when the citizens asked him where his men was, he said, 'Hell!
'Ain't I enough? There's only one riot.' Are you workin' up a
case, Dave?"
"Um-m--yes! People are missing a lot of stock hereabouts."
"It's these blamed refugees from the war! A Mexican has to steal
something or he gets run down and pore. If it ain't stock, it's
something else. Why, one morning I rode into Jonesville in time to
see four Greasers walkin' down the main street with feed-sacks
over their shoulders. Each one of those gunnie's had something
long and flat and heavy in it, and I growed curious. When I
investigated, what d'you suppose I found? Tombstones! That's
right; four marble beauties fresh from the cemetery. Well, it made
me right sore, for I'd helped to start Jonesville. I was its city
father. I'd made the place fit to live in, and I aimed to keep it
safe to die in, and so, bein' a sort of left-handed, self-
appointed deppity-sheriff, I rounded up those ghouls and drove 'em
to the county-seat in my spring wagon. I had the evidence propped
up against the front of our real-estate office--'Sacred to the
Memory' of four of our leading citizens--so I jailed 'em. But
that's all the good it did."
"Couldn't convict, eh?"
Blaze lit his cigarette for the third time. "The prosecuting
attorney and I wasn't very good friends, seeing as how I'd had to
kill his daddy, so he turned 'em loose. I'm damned if those four
Greasers didn't beat me back to Jonesville." Blaze shook his head
ruminatively. "This was a hard country, those days. There wasn't
but two honest men in this whole valley--and the other one was a
Dave Law's duties as a Ranger rested lightly upon him; his
instructions were vague, and he had a leisurely method of "working
up" his evidence. Since he knew that Blaze possessed a thorough
knowledge of this section and its people, it was partly business
which had brought him to the Jones home this afternoon.
Strictly speaking, Blaze was not a rancher, although many of his
acres were under cultivation and he employed a sizable army of
field-hands. His disposition was too adventurous, his life had
been too swift and varied, for him to remain interested in slow
agricultural pursuits; therefore, he had speculated heavily in raw
lands, and for several years past he had devoted his energies to a
gigantic colonization scheme. Originally Blaze had come to the Rio
Grande valley as a stock-raiser, but the natural advantages of the
country had appealed to his gambling instinct, and he had "gone
broke" buying land.
He had located, some fifteen miles below the borders of Las
Palmas, and there he had sunk a large fortune; then as a first
step in his colonization project he had founded the town of
Jonesville. Next he had caused the branch line of the Frisco
railroad to be extended until it linked his holdings with the main
system, after which he had floated a big irrigation company; and
now the feat of paying interest on its bonds and selling farms
under the ditch to Northern people kept him fully occupied. It was
by no means a small operation in which he was engaged. The venture
had taken foresight, courage, infinite hard work; and Blaze was
burdened with responsibilities that would have broken down a man
of weaker fiber.
But his pet relaxation was reminiscence. His own experience had
been wide, he knew everybody in his part of the state, and
although events in his telling were sometimes colored by his rich
imagination, the information he could give was often of the
greatest value--as Dave Law knew.
After a time the latter said, casually, "Tell me something about
Tad Lewis."
Blaze looked up quickly. "What d'you want to know?"
"Anything. Everything."
"Tad owns a right nice ranch between here and Las Palmas," Blaze
said, cautiously.
Paloma broke out, impatiently: "Why don't you say what you think?"
Then to Dave: "Tad Lewis is a bad neighbor, and always has been.
There's a ford on his place, and we think he knows more about
'wet' cattle than he cares to tell."
"It's a good place to cross stock at low water," her father
agreed, "and Lewis's land runs back from the Rio Grande in its old
Spanish form. It's a natural outlet for those brush-country
ranchos. But I haven't anything against Tad except a natural
dislike. He stands well with some of our best people, so I'm
probably wrong. I usually am."
"You can't call Ed Austin one of our best people," sharply
objected Paloma. "They claim that arms are being smuggled across
to the Rebels, Dave, and, if it's true, Ed Austin--"
"Now, Paloma," her father remonstrated mildly. "The Regulars and
the River Guards watched Lewis's ranch till the embargo was
lifted, and they never saw anything."
"I believe Austin is a strong Rebel sympathizer," Law ventured.
"Sure! And him and the Lewis outfit are amigos. If you go
pirootin' around Tad's place you're more'n apt to make yourself
unpopular, Dave. I'd grieve some to see you in a wooden kimono.
Tad's too well fixed to steal cattle, and if he runs arms it's
because of his sympathy for those noble, dark-skinned patriots we
hear so much about in Washington. Tad's a 'galvanized Gringo'
himself--married a Mexican, you know."
"Nobody pays much attention to the embargo," Law agreed. "I ran
arms myself, before I joined the Force."
When meal-time drew near, both Jones and his daughter urged their
guest to stay and dine with them, and Dave was glad to accept.
"After supper I'm going to show you our town," Blaze declared.
"It's the finest city in South Texas, and growing like a weed. All
we need is good farmers. Those we've got are mostly back-to-nature
students who leaped a drug-counter expecting to 'light in the lap
of luxury. In the last outfit we sold there wasn't three men that
knew which end of a mule to put the collar on. But they'll learn.
Nature's with 'em, and so am I. God supplies 'em with all the
fresh air and sunshine they need, and when they want anything else
they come to Old Blaze. Ain't that right, Paloma?"
"Yes, father."
Paloma Jones had developed wonderfully since Dave Law had last
seen her. She had grown into a most wholesome and attractive young
woman, with an unusually capable manner, and an honest, humorous
pair of brown eyes. During dinner she did her part with a grace
that made watching her a pleasure, and the Ranger found it a great
treat to sit at her table after his strenuous scouting days in the
"I'm glad to hear Jonesville is prosperous," he told his host.
"And they say you're in everything."
"That's right; and prosperity's no name for it. Every-body wants
Blaze to have a finger in the pie. I'm interested in the bank, the
sugar-mill, the hardware-store, the ice-plant--Say, that ice-
plant's a luxury for a town this size. D'you know what I made out
of it last year?"
"I've no idea."
"Twenty-seven thousand dollars!" The father of Jonesville spoke
proudly, impressively, and then through habit called upon his
daughter for verification. "Didn't I, Paloma?"
Miss Paloma's answer was unexpected, and came with equal emphasis:
"No, you didn't, father. The miserable thing lost money."
Blaze was only momentarily dismayed. Then he joined in his
visitor's laughter. "How can a man get along without the co-
operation of his own household?" he inquired, naively. "Maybe it
was next year I was thinking about." Thereafter he confined
himself to statements which required no corroboration.
Dave had long since learned that to hold Blaze Jones to a strict
accountability with fact was to rob his society of its greatest
charm. A slavish accuracy in figures, an arid lack of imagination,
reduces conversation to the insipidness of flat wine, and Blaze's
talk was never dull. He was a keen, shrewd, practical man, but
somewhere in his being there was concealed a tremendous, lop-sided
sense of humor which took the form of a bewildering imagery. An
attentive audience was enough for him, and, once his fancy was in
full swing, there was no limit to his outrageous exaggerations. A
light of credulity in a hearer's eye filled him with prodigious
mirth, and it is doubtful if his listeners ever derived a fraction
of the amusement from his fabrications that he himself enjoyed.
Paloma's spirit of contradiction was the only fly in his ointment;
now that his daughter was old enough to "keep books" on him, much
of the story-teller's joy was denied him.
Of course his proclivities occasionally led to misapprehensions;
chance acquaintances who recognized him as an artful romancer were
liable to consider him generally untruthful. But even in this
misconception Blaze took a quiet delight, secure in the knowledge
that all who knew him well regarded him as a rock of integrity. As
a matter of fact, his genuine exploits were quite as sensational
as those of his manufacture.
When, after supper, Blaze had hitched a pair of driving-mules to
his buckboard, preparatory to showing his guest the glories of
Jonesville, Dave said:
"Paloma's getting mighty pretty."
"She's as pretty as a blue-bonnet flower," her father agreed. "And
she runs me around something scandalous. I 'ain't got the freedom
of a peon." Blaze sighed and shook his shaggy head. "You know me,
Dave; I never used to be scared of nobody. Well, it's different
now. She rides me with a Spanish bit, and my soul ain't my own."
With a sudden lightening of his gloom, he added: "Say, you're
going to stay right here with us as long as you're in town; I want
you to see how I cringe." In spite of Blaze's plaintive tone it
was patent that he was inordinately proud of Paloma and well
content with his serfdom.
Jonesville proved to be a typical Texas town of the modern
variety, and altogether different to the pictured frontier
village. There were no one-storied square fronts, no rows of
saloons with well-gnawed hitching-rails, no rioting cowboys. On
the contrary, the larger buildings were of artificial stone, the
sidewalks of concrete, and the store fronts of plate-glass. Arc-
lights shed a bluishwhite glare over the wide street-crossings,
and all in all the effect was much like that of a prosperous,
orderly Northern farming town.
Not that Jonesville would have filled an eye for beauty. It was
too new and crude and awkward for that. It fitted loosely into its
clothes, for its citizens had patterned it with regard for the
future, and it sprawled over twice its legitimate area. But to its
happy founder it seemed well-nigh perfect, and its destiny roused
his maddest enthusiasm. He showed Dave the little red frame
railroad station, distinguished in some mysterious way above the
hundred thousand other little red frame railroad stations of the
identical size and style; he pointed out the Odd Fellows Hall, the
Palace Picture Theater, with its glaring orange lights and
discordant electric piano; he conducted Law to the First National
Bank, of which Blaze was a proud but somewhat ornamental director;
then to the sugar-mill, the ice-plant, and other points of equally
novel interest.
Everywhere he went, Jones was hailed by friends, for everybody
seemed to know him and to want to shake his hand.
"SOME town and SOME body of men, eh?" he inquired, finally, and
Dave agreed:
"Yes. She's got a grand framework, Blaze. She'll be most as big as
Fort Worth when you fatten her up."
Jones waved his buggy-whip in a wide circle that took in the miles
of level prairie on all sides. "We've got the whole blamed state
to grow in. And, Dave, I haven't got an enemy in the place! It
wasn't many years ago that certain people allowed I'd never live
to raise this town. Why, it used to be that nobody dared to ride
with me--except Paloma, and she used to sleep with a shot-gun at
her bedside."
"You sure have been a responsibility to her."
"But I'm as safe now as if I was in church."
Law ventured to remark that none of Blaze's enemies had grown fat
in prosecuting their feuds, but this was subject which the elder
man invariably found embarrassing, and now he said:
"Pshaw! I never was the blood-letter people think. I'm as gentle
as a sheep." Then to escape further curiosity on that point he
suggested that they round out their riotous evening with a game of
Law boasted a liberal education, but he was no match for the
father of Jonesville, who wielded a cue with a dexterity born of
years of devotion to the game. In consequence, Blaze's enjoyment
was in a fair way to languish when the proprietor of the Elite
Billiard Parlor returned from supper to say:
"Mr. Jones, there's a real good pool-player in town, and he wants
to meet you."
Blaze uttered a triumphant cry. "Get him, quick! Send the brass-
band to bring him. Dave, you hook your spurs over the rung of a
chair and watch your uncle clean this tenderfoot. If he's got
class, I'll make him mayor of the town, for a good pool-shooter is
all this metropolis lacks. Why, sometimes I go plumb to San Antone
for a game." He whispered in his friend's ear, "Paloma don't let
me gamble, but if you've got any dinero, get it down on me." Then,
addressing the bystanders, he proclaimed, "Boys, if this pilgrim
is good enough to stretch me out we'll marry him off and settle
him down."
"No chance, Uncle Blaze; he's the most married person in town,"
some one volunteered. "His wife is the new dressmaker--and she's
got a mustache." For some reason this remark excited general
"That's too bad. I never saw but one woman with a mustache, and
she licked me good. If he's yoked up to that kind of a lady, I
allow his nerves will be wrecked before he gets here. I hope to
God he ain't entirely done for." Blaze ran the last three balls
from a well-nigh impossible position, then racked up the whole
fifteen with trembling eagerness and eyed the door expectantly. He
was wiping his spectacles when the proprietor returned with a
slim, sallow man whom he introduced as Mr. Strange.
"Welcome to our city!" Blaze cried, with a flourish of his
glasses. "Get a prod, Mr. Strange, and bust 'em, while I clean my
wind-shields. These fellow-townsmen of mine handle a cue like it
was an ox-gad."
Mr. Strange selected a cue, studied the pyramid for an instant,
then called the three ball for the upper left-hand corner, and
pocketed it, following which he ran the remaining fourteen. Blaze
watched this procedure near-sightedly, and when the table was bare
he thumped his cue loudly upon the floor. He beamed upon his
opponent; he appeared ready to embrace him.
"Bueno! There's art, science, and natural aptitude! Fly at 'em
again, Mr. Strange, and take your fill." He finished polishing his
spectacles, and readjusted them. "I aim to make you so comfortable
in Jonesville that---" Blaze paused, he started, and a peculiar
expression crept over his face.
It seemed to Law that his friend actually turned pale; at any
rate, his mouth dropped open and his gaze was no longer
hypnotically following the pool-balls, but was fixed upon his
Now there were chapters in the life of Blaze Jones that had never
been fully written, and it occurred to Dave that such a one had
been suddenly reopened; therefore he prepared himself for some
kind of an outburst. But Blaze appeared to be numbed; he even
jumped nervously when Mr. Strange missed a shot and advised him
that his chance had come.
As water escapes from a leaky pail, so had Jones's fondness for
pool oozed away, and with it had gone his accustomed skill. He
shot blindly, and, much to the general surprise, missed an easy
"Can't expect to get 'em all," comfortingly observed Mr. Strange
as he executed a combination that netted him two balls and broke
the bunch. After that he proved the insincerity of his statement
by clearing the cloth for a second time. The succeeding frames
went much the same, and finally Blaze put up his cue, mumbling:
"I reckon I must have another chill coming on. My feet are plumb
"Cold feet are sure bad." Strange favored the crowd with a wink.
"I'm sort of sick."
"That's tough!" the victor exclaimed, regretfully. "But I'll tell
you what we'll do--we'll take a little look into the future."
"What d'you mean?"
"Simply this: Nature has favored me with second sight and the
ability to read fortunes. I foretell good an' evil, questions of
love and mattermony by means of numbers, cards, dice, dominoes,
apple-parings, egg-shells, tea-leaves, an' coffee-grounds." The
speaker's voice had taken on the brazen tones of a circus barker.
"I pro'nosticate by charms, ceremonies, omens, and moles; by the
features of the face, lines of the hand, spots an' blemishes of
the skin. I speak the language of flowers. I know one hundred and
eighty-seven weather signs, and I interpet dreams. Now, ladies and
gents, this is no idle boast. Triflin' incidents, little marks on
the cuticle, although they appear to be the effect of chance, are
nevertheless of the utmost consequence, an' to the skilled
interpeter they foretell the temper of, an' the events that will
happen to, the person bearin' 'em. Now let us take this little
deck of common playing-cards---"
The monologist, suiting the action to the word, conjured a deck of
cards from somewhere, and extended them to Blaze. "Select one; any
"Hell!" snorted Jones, slipping into his coat.
"You are a skeptic! Very well. I convince nobody against his will.
But wait! You have a strong face. Stand where you are." Extracting
from another pocket a tiny pair of scissors and a sheet of carbon
paper, Mr. Strange, with the undivided attention of the audience
upon him, began to cut Blaze's silhouette. He was extraordinarily
adept, and despite his subject's restlessness he completed the
likeness in a few moments; then, fixing it upon a plain white
cardboard, he presented it with a flourish.
Blaze accepted the thing and plunged for the open air.
A Scouting Trip
Luis Longorio
Viewed 576


text:
El Perro del Mar plays the late show at Joe's Pub with Lykke Li this Wednesday, May 7th (sold out) and again at Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, May 8th (sold out).
On a mid-April Saturday (afternoon in New York, evening in Gothenburg), we're mere days away from the release of From the Valley to the Stars, the follow-up to El Perro del Mar. For inside the Valley, Sarah Assbring, the Swedish woman behind the EPDM curtain, purposefully ponders life and death, whether or not there's a god and whether or not there's a heaven. You know, some fairly solemn shit even if you do live in the land of long, long winters.
But the mere 20 minutes remaining on our international calling card pays our conversational seriousness no mind, so we've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I read an interview a little while ago–maybe even while you were still recording–that implied you were aiming for something a little more thematic than the last album.
SA: Definitely, yeah.
Do you remember the trigger that suggested Valley was the right direction? Do you remember the moment when you decided this was a good idea? Are you, by any chance, staring up at the sky?
SA: I think there definitely was a moment of looking up in the sky and asking myself all these kinds of different questions, but the questions themselves had very much to do about life and death, and they were very linked to looking up to the sky. I think that was the trigger. And from then on it just went from naturally having the only wish of doing that conceptual piece.
Obviously the sky's a major player here, but it's not only a literal concern, like, 'Hey, I see some stars and there's the moon over there,' but also figuratively in that heaven's supposed to be somewhere behind those clouds.
SA: Exactly. It's exactly what you're saying. It's the kind of the perpetual image that we people, like from the very beginning of time, seem to have this symbolic idea or wish for a comforting place somewhere above the clouds.
I don't know how much you get to watch American baseball, or even whether you would watch baseball if you could, but many Catholic ballplayers, often Latino players, cross themselves before they bat. And then if they reach base they'll cross themselves again, kiss their fingers and point up to the sky.
SA: Yeah.
I'm not sure where I was going with that.
SA: No, that's kind of beautiful because, I mean, for me it's a kind of a pretty image because it is very much kind of hinting to any kind of religious belief system. Any kind. And the whole work with the album personally ended up with me in some kind of like universal, very human kind of original need for just some kind of answer and some kind of comfort when you're in need. And to me it's like the most, just very natural kind of thing. I thought that maybe I was looking for something that was kind of, you know, religious or spiritual. And I was maybe, but it wasn't linked to any belief system in that kind of sense. It only ended up with a very just basic idea of something, a comforting idea.
Since that was kind of like a mini-confession, that you were looking for something else out there, I will confess that I've read your blog.
SA: Yeah?
Yeah. And I'm going to hit you with that in just a minute. But first I want to ask you about this exploration, because this album has been an exploratory journey for you. Now that you've finished writing and recording these songs and they're about to be released, did you learn anything?
SA: I did. I think I definitely did. I think something that would be good for you to know is that I started this work in a very kind of intellectual kind of way. I was like preparing myself, gathering diverse kinds of inspiration and inputs, and that had very little to do with writing music. It was rather like filling myself up with enough information so that the music could speak for itself. At the risk of sounding very pretentious. But anyway, that's how I felt. That the music would be like universal, or the language that I would use would be more of a universal kind of language rather than something that was very personal. And the kind of gathering of information that I did was this personal kind of looking for a God or looking for something to believe in. I was kind of doing that because I was grieving a person that had left, someone who had always been very close to me that was gone. And I think, for the very first time in my life, I was really asking myself the question of 'Is there anything left?' Or, 'Is there anything following at all?' Or, 'Are you still here?' I was asking myself those questions, and I think that I, in the process, ended up accepting a lot of things. I think I somewhere ended up thinking, 'No, there is probably nothing left, but it's the journey that we make. We start here and we end up somewhere out there.' So it ended up in a kind of embracing and jubilation over the facts of life: how we start and how we end and the beauty of that. It's just very simply that.
Well, let's move to the concrete from the abstract. Chronologically, what's the first song that you write for From the Valley to the Stars? Once you decide, 'This is what I'm exploring, this is what I'm filling myself up with,' what's the first song that you write?
SA: The first song is actually the last song on the album. It's called "Your Name is Neverending."
And what's the last song that you write?
SA: The last song is "Jubilee," the first song.
If the last song you wrote is first on the album and the first song you wrote is the last on the album then I've got to believe there's a reason behind it. Does that knowledge tell me anything as a listener?
SA: Yeah, definitely. Definitely so. Since I took on this project in the kind of way that to me was feeling very much like the way that I think of classical composers writing a symphony or working on a symphony, I think that you have this idea, this chronological idea almost as a writer, like a literary writer, where you know you have to have this certain chapter and then you have to have that certain chapter to fill up the whole piece of work. And you're very conscious about that during the whole process, and I think it's pretty common that it works like that. You're starting from the end and ending up at the beginning. That's the kind of feeling that I got working with this. It was the kind of circularity, and that's also the whole story of From the Valley to the Stars. It starts there and it ends up and then it goes on and on and on in this neverending circle.
And "Your Name is Neverending," the first song you wrote for Valley and the last song on the disc is one of the few songs on the record that continues to use the acoustic guitar that's all over your last album rather than the organ that's prevalent here. It's almost like a hangover of instrumentation. Does that make any sense?
SA: Definitely. And maybe that is also kind of an answer to your previous question. I mean, that the last song was written first. And I started with the acoustic and pretty quickly I realized that I need to explore something different. I needed to take this in a different way. And I pretty quickly was very drawn to the organ.
Your December 17, 2007 blog entry reads: "It seems every time I visit a church there just happens to be a musical event going on. And every time I'm hit with this feeling that I made the wrong choice as a musician. I would've been better off as a choral person; someone in the crowd of a choir. I just think about the atmosphere and the focus that the very room of a church inspires and what it does to me." And it seems like anyone listening to Valley from the Stars would know that you've spent some recent time in church.
SA: Yeah. Is that a question?
No, I just like hearing myself talk.
SA: (laughs) That's a statement, yeah.
And "Happiness Won Me Over" is extraordinarily hymn-like.
SA: It is.
Okay. I was just making sure we were still on the same page.
SA: We are. Definitely.
Good, then let me ask you this. Last fall you weren't quite finished recording the album and you decided to go to India. That seems like a weird time to leave, when you're so close to being done. Why did you go then?
SA: That was just a pure miscalculation of planning. The original plan was to be finished with the album when I was to leave for India. But I totally, totally miscalculated the overwhelming, the massive work that was left, so I had to go. I had the tickets and everything so I just had to go and I had to accept that I wasn't ready and it wasn't finished. And that was very frustrating. I was very, very frustrated when leaving and thinking, 'Shit, I totally just blew this.' And it took me about a week to realize that it was probably for the best. I came back with a whole different kind of perspective to what I was making. And I'm very happy that it happened to end up like that.
So why India? And given the fact that you went there at such a tenuous, important moment in terms of making this record, what effect. [Here an operator recording breaks in with a two-minute warning; I cuss vehemently and Sarah laughs] . . . Why India and what effect did your trip have on the record?
SA: I've been very into like the philosophy, the old philosophy of India and the religions of the India, I guess. And I've also been very much into Indian music for a long time and I think Indian music was very much part of the trigger that made we want to do this album. Along with that, I've always, always dreamt of going to India, so India, in my mind I think, was a very big part of the whole process of the album and now, looking back on it, I think I had a very romantic image of what India would be like and I'm very happy that I went there to realize that it's so much more than that idea. I think part of my idea was shattered, but a big part of me learned a whole lot and that's why I think that the miscalculation of my work and having to go to India before the album was done and then coming back from the experiences that I had was very giving to the end result.
Tell me something that you've never ever done before.
SA: Rock climbing. I haven't done that. I would love to do that, yeah. Extreme rock climbing.
Tell me something that you've done once and one time only.
SA: Ride a horse.
Just once? How long ago?
SA: I was very little and I fell off and I will never do it again. That's what I thought then. I thought it was very, very difficult.
So the old axiom, 'If you fall off a horse, get right back on,' didn't work for you.
SA: It didn't. Not at all. It was like, 'Wow, how can this be so difficult when it seems like it's so easy? There must be something wrong with me. I will never do it again.' That's how I felt.
What's the sky like in Gothenburg right now? Inspirational or not?
SA: The sky in Gothenburg is orange just above the rim of the horizon and light, light blue over that. It's been a beautiful spring day today and the night sky is colored by that. I love nights like these. Totally inspirational in all its silent grandeur.
El Perro del Mar plays the late show at Joe's Pub with Lykke Li this Wednesday, May 7th (sold out) and again at Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, May 8th. The EPDM blog is at elpd.blogspot.com.
This article from the Village Voice Archive was posted on May 5, 2008