Monthly Archives: September 2007

the iberian lynx

11 Tuesday Sep 2007

Posted by in animals & pets, politics, sevilla, spain

≈ 3 Comments

lynx1.jpg

How the EU saves, and kills, the lynx

So maybe Europe is giving money for preserving the lynx – it’s given 26m euros (£18m) – but the agricultural funds give money that helps destroy the lynx’s habitat.

The same institution is protecting and destroying habitat at the same time.

Fuck golf courses and fuck fake-tasting strawberries … there isn’t enough water here. And how awful it would be to see such a gorgeous creature become extinct. Yes, the dunes are spreading, but the water that exists at the moment could be put to better use.

Doñana Park is about an hour’s drive from where I live. I know a couple of people who work there – biologists mostly working with rabbits, birds and bats. But the lynx is the symbol of Doñana and I guess, being a cat person myself, their plight moves me. But not just me. A few years ago a student of mine (mid-twenties, well-educated) came up for his class and could barely speak when he came into the room. His face was all red, he was actually sputtering! I asked him what was wrong and after he sat down and had a drink of water he told me … “You know your neighbour on the first floor? Her door was open when I walked past just now and I saw she had a lynx pelt nailed to the entrance wall!”

It was actually a traumatic experience for him. I’ve since seen it myself. But these neighbours are disgusting people on so many levels that nailing the skin of an endangered species to their wall is actually not terribly surprising to me.

I’m certainly no big-time environmental activist, but fuck man – golf courses in Andalucía??? One golf course uses more water in a day than a village of 10,000 people. And tasteless strawberries that are sold for export … huh? Nice to see the world has its priorities straight, as usual.

The mind reels . . .

the west wing

11 Tuesday Sep 2007

Posted by in home, media, politics, television

≈ 8 Comments

the_west_wing_.jpg

The latest television series addiction at casa az. f_bigeyes.gif

But before we go any further … no spoilers please! Nog and I are about half-way through season two at the moment.

What I was mainly curious about was what US citizens think of it – though all opinions are welcome, of course. I know it won tons of Emmys, mostly for the writing (which I think is fabulous), but how did people feel about seeing the president and government presented in that way? I mean, having an intelligent, caring and principled president and a support staff that seemed to know their elbows from their arseholes. Too pie in the sky, as in … it ain’t never gonna happen? Or what?

it was a dark & stormy night…

11 Tuesday Sep 2007

Posted by in books & writing, life stuff, miscellany

≈ 9 Comments

dark-and-stormy-night.jpg

Last night. And there I was all snug and cosy in bed enjoying the sights and sounds. I really do love thunder and lightning storms but I remember that my mother used to be terrified of them. She’d close all the curtains and warn us kids to stay away from windows. And nobody was allowed to use the phone or take a bath 😕

Having said that, I should also say that I enjoy thunder and lightning storms best when I am dry and comfy inside and there is no need for me to go out.

Anyhow, all this pondering of dark and stormy nights has reminded me of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest , sponsored by the San José State University, which recognises some of the worst examples of the sort of  “dark and stormy night” writing first penned by Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

And so, kind of a two-parter here. How do you feel about thunder and lightning storms? And do you have any especially appalling examples of writing that you’d like to share?

az picassohead

09 Sunday Sep 2007

Posted by in art, fun stuff, miscellany

≈ 22 Comments

az-picasshead.jpg

Check it out … Mr Picassohead.

A couple of years ago a friend sent me a link to this rather fun site and, this being a rather lazy Sunday, I discovered it once again and started playing around.

So this is az Picassohead with new short haircut, as well as one eye wide open and the other dreaming … and nose somewhat bent out of shape, which is usually my fault for being overly sensitive (click thumbnail for larger image).

And here is one of Nog – thinking about abstract stuff, as usual …

Also a couple of Picasso Cats you might recognise.

If you make one of your own it would be great if you left a link to it here. f_artist.gif

[update: the new Picassohead Gallery page]

trusty steeds

08 Saturday Sep 2007

Posted by in fun stuff, health & happiness, life stuff, sevilla

≈ 7 Comments

bici.jpg

Two tired and thirsty bikes . . .

Actually it was more like two tired and thirsty first-time-in-years cyclists (2 years for me, about 20 for Nog) . I took this photo after we’d stopped for a cold beer at a little outdoor bar in a park near the river. All in all we were out about two and a half hours but the first half hour or so was spent trying to find a bike station that had any bikes. I guess early Saturday evening is a popular time to go out for a bike ride.

And the reason this is our first time out since I mentioned sending in our applications over here on this post is because Nog just got his card this week. First they lost his application and then the card went missing and they had to send out a duplicate. So we basically missed out getting to use the bikes while we were on holiday, but at least we can go out cycling now.

Anyhow, it was great fun and good exercise. Even though we’re both quite pooped it’s a nice tired feeling. So off to veg a bit and watch yet another episode of The West Wing (latest television series addiction).