Out of the Past

Some time ago, looking up an historical subject, I came across this photograph of a newlywed couple in Czechoslovakia, circa 1935.  A nice young couple, neatly dressed, peering into the future.  What did the future hold for them, I wonder.  

They would have had only a short time to settle into married life before Hitler took over their country and plunged the world into war.  Did they have children?  Did he go off to war or to forced labor?  Did they live to see the liberation of their country, and subsequent domination by Russia?  What happened to them, after that short space of peace?

What will happen to all of us now, in America?  What would they say to us if they could speak?  I wonder . . . 

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The Boys of Summer

Contributed by my truckbuddy Tim from England, now resident in Spain:

Tim’s Take on Spain – The Boys Of Summer

One of summer’s simple joys for Partner and me is pizza on the beach of a Sunday evening, washed down with a glass or two of chilled wine, naturally! We’ll watch the sunset and the people, and we’ll chat with the boys who own and run the place – our ‘boys’ of summer. Which is a good excuse to play our first musical piece.

This version of the old Don Henley classic is by German DJ Ole Van Dansk and was filmed in Lagos, Portugal, so it has a suitable Euro-Iberian feel to it. It is in the ‘House Trance’ style apparently . . . no, I don’t know either, but it does grow on you!



Whilst many other blogs have already marked the official end of summer, the tourist ‘summer’ season here on the Costa del Sol actually runs on into late October. So this ‘Tim’s Take’ is my own ‘seasonally adjusted’ contribution to mark the event! But first, dear reader, some introductions. This is Sergio . . .

. . . and this is his elder brother, Carlos.

Together they run one of our favourite chiringuitos – Royal Beach.

The upstairs restaurant has a ‘Pirate’ theme; hence Carlos’s get-up. When Partner and I visited the west-coast of America a couple of years back, Carlos and Sergio asked if we could bring back some ‘Pirate’ paraphernalia for the restaurant. Monterey and San Diego provided plenty of fine samples. I can only imagine the customs officers faces when they found the ‘booty’ buried in our suitcases – a cutlass, a flintlock pistol, even a hook for a missing hand, plus pieces of eight and an eye patch! All plastic, I hasten to add, and today they join a lot of other piratical bric-a-brac decorating the walls and ceiling. Not to my taste perhaps, but the kids love it! And happy kids = happy customers = more doubloons!

Besides pizzas, it also serves the most wonderfully fresh seafood. Both brothers are keen fishermen, and Sergio is always keen to display the latest catch! Here he is with a couple of magnificent candy-striped urtas, red-banded sea bass. They have soft, white flesh, with a subtle, delicate flavour, and are one of the restaurant’s specialities. They might be called Red Snappers where you live.

‘The Royal’ as we call it, is just a short ten minute drive down the hill from our home, and has become a favourite destination for Partner, Lulu and me on a summer’s Sunday evening. We have known Carlos and Sergio since we moved here nine years ago. Carlos can appear quite stern, but underneath he has a wickedly dry sense of humour. He is the business man of the two and takes his responsibilities very seriously. And he still ‘looks out’ for his younger brother, even though they are now both in their thirties. Sergio is always happy, a natural joker and an excellent chef. A perfect foil to Carlos.

Over the years we have watched them take over the reins of the little family business from their late father, and grow it into one of the most popular chiringuitos in the area. We have shared many happy times with Carlos and Sergio, and some sad ones too. We are very fond of them both, although saying hello can sometimes be a painful business. Both brothers are quite strong and when your arm has been punched, or your shoulder squeezed in friendly greeting, you know it! But the pleasure is worth the pain! I think this studly gentleman might give as good as he got though! Probably one of their ‘martial arts’ friends (see later).

-- Continued after the jump --

A Year Ago Tonight

This is our moment.  This is our time.

Change has come to America.

Yes, we can!

Remember?

 

More pics and video below the jump.

A Moment to Remember

As frustrated as we are with the President's footdragging on gay rights issues, it's important to realize the actual progress that is being made now, step by step.  David Mixner:

Traveling to Washington for the reception at the White House for the Shepard/Byrd - Hate Crimes Bill signing, I understood the historic significance of the day. For the first time in my life and I guess anyone's life - the President of the United States was going to sign into a law a piece of positive legislation about LGBT rights. For years, I have grown used to past presidents signing such bills as DOMA and DADT or the oppressive Jessie Helms amendments from the 1980's. So the reality of such a historic first was actually hard to intellectually comprehend. . . .

First Judy and Dennis Shepard with their son Logan entered with two members of James Byrd's family (the African American man who was brutally slain by being dragged behind a truck in Jasper, Texas). They stood behind President Obama as he made his usual eloquent and powerful remarks about hate, the consequences and his zero tolerance for it. For me, while appreciating his remarks, I could not get the Shepards and Byrds out of my mind. Here were two families ripped apart by the worst brutality one can imagine and now they were honored guests in the White House and on stage with the president. The sight was so emotional and overwhelming especially as the two families hugged and co-mingled. In that moment, the hate that resulted in the deaths of their loved ones was vanquished to the dark pages of history where it belongs.

Full text of the President's remarks below the jump.  Despite what I said in an earlier post, they are well worth reading.  (Memo to Russ:  don't make smartass remarks about somebody's speech until you've actually read it.)

Obama Lifts HIV Travel Ban

Okay, here's something we can be proud of our President about:  lifting the ban on HIV+ travelers entering this country.  Andrew Sullivan:

The president just announced that as of Monday, the ban on HIV-positive visitors, tourists and immigrants will formally come to an end. There are 60 days before the new rule comes into effect. But after that, people with HIV will be treated in exactly the same way as any other person with a serious illness - according to science, not politics, and following the logic of reason, not fear.

The ban has been in existence for 22 years, pioneered by Jesse Helms, resisted by the first Bush, signed into law by Bill Clinton, legislatively repealed by George W. Bush and now administratively ended by Barack Obama. In an age when bipartisanship is out of fashion, the repeal was led by Gordon Smith and John Kerry, with backing from many Republicans and Democrats. The work of staffers - Rob Epplin and Alex Nunez, in particular - was invaluable. The support of Immigration Equality was vital. The lobbying of HRC was an important late development. . . .

For me, it is the end of 16 years of profound insecurity. Like many others, my application for permanent residence and citizenship can go forward. And I will be able to see my family again in England and know that my HIV will not force me to choose between my husband and the country I have come to call my home. There is no price to be put on that.

Punk Talk

As surely everyone knows by now, Levi Johnston is going to show it all for Playgirl next month.  Yeah, I'll have a look-see when he does, but he's only mildly cute IMO, so I'm not holding my breath.  Besides, the parts I'd most want to see, he wouldn't show for love or money.

Speaking of love, money, and "fucking rednecks," as he once described himself on his Facebook page, I see country boy is working his 15 minutes for all it's worth - and really, can you blame him?  I mean, hell, that's the American way, right guys?  Somebody offered me six figures to take my clothes off, I'd sure as hell go for it.  (My email address is under my profile if anyone does have an offer like that - serious inquiries only.  But I'm not holding my breath on that either.)

But I'm starting to get a weird deja vu feeling about all this.  I mean, haven't we seen this plot in a hundred B-movies before - smartass punk shoots his mouth off all over town, but doesn't make it to the closing credits.

Bad things can happen to country boys in the big city who go making threats against people with powerful friends.   Levi needs a friend to tell him to hold his cards real close to his vest - and meanwhile STFU.

It's no skin off my back, though.  I'm just saying.