Old Boats

On one of my trips to the Caribbean, a WW 2 landing craft was used to ferry passengers from the ship to an island. It would bump on the sand, the ramp in the front would drop down, and we would all walk off. It was a weird experience. I kept thinking of Normandy.

It's Customary

They have a custom in Spain on New Year's Eve to eat 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds before midnight. It's called the 12 grapes of luck.. I was at a ball in Madrid one New Year's Eve and tried that. 12 seconds is not long enough.

Does anyone remember Sen-Sen?

Harrison Ford - Hans Duo

I read this in "Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher, #13)"

 " If you take political candidates as a population example, then the United States is a third world country. Everyone grows up poor, drinking water is a luxury, shoes are rare, a square meal is cause for jubilant celebration."

A friend told me that when she was young she sang soprano. I told her I just sang loud.

This is how it all began….

 

 

 

Once upon a time there was a king who wanted to go fishing.

He called the royal weather forecaster and inquired as to the weather forecast for the next few hours. The weatherman assured him that there was no chance of rain in the coming days. So the king went fishing with his wife, the queen.

 

On the way he met a farmer on his donkey. Upon seeing the king the farmer said, “Your Majesty, you should return to the palace at once because in just a short time I expect a huge amount of rain to fall in this area”.  

 

The king was polite and considerate, he replied: “I hold the palace meteorologist in high regard. He is an extensively educated and experienced professional. And besides, I pay him very high wages. He gave me a very different forecast. I trust him and I will continue on my way.” So he continued on his way.  

 

However, a short time later a torrential rain fell from the sky. The King and Queen were totally soaked and their entourage chuckled upon seeing them in such a shameful condition.  

 

Furious, the king returned to the palace and gave the order to fire the professional. Then he summoned the farmer and offered him the prestigious and high paying role of royal forecaster.

 

The farmer said, “Your Majesty, I do not know anything about forecasting. I obtain my information from my donkey. If I see my donkey’s ears drooping, it means with certainty that it will rain.”  

 

So the king hired the donkey.

 

And thus began the practice of hiring dumb asses to work in the government and occupy its highest and most influential positions.  

 

And the practice is unbroken to this date...