A Luminaria at Old Town Square in Albuquerque

A Tradition Continues

This Christmas I found myself situated in the thriving metropolis of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Now with a population of well past 500, ooo, this ciy has become one of the larger population centers of he Southwest. Despite this large growth pattern, there remain some pockets of the Old West within the city limits. However, in this case, the Old West is the world of the padres and the Spanish settlers that followed them into places like Texas, New Mexico and southern New Mexico.

Luminarias at night in Old Town Albuquerque

More Than Just a Tourist Trap 

Old town derives its name that once upon a time it was the city center. Built around a modest but very attractive Catholic church, this section of Albuquerque abounds with pioneer shops, Native art galleries, photographer’s studios, restaurants and candy shops. My guess is that they do a brisk business through much of the year, but Christmas Eve, when the square is lit up with candles inside paper bags must be a very special evening and not just become they get a lot of customers. Seeing the square bathed in candlelight is really an astonishing visual experience.

Nocturnal sidewalk in Old Town, Albuquerque on Christmas Eve

The Luminaria Tour

Unfortunately, the beauty of the night now attracts so many visitors that a bus tour works it way across the various neighborhoods, just to see the nocturnal displays. A friend of mine counted the vehicles as they were escorted by police motorcycles, all covered in Christmas tree lights. They were 27 city buses in all and hey must have quite an impact on the shopkeepers, when everybody disembarked for the buses. Forunately, things quieted down and the Christmas Eve service began in the historic San Felipe de Neri church.

Blue Christmas tree in Old Town Albuquerque

Hats off from the snowman

Hats Off from Frosty

 There’s not much snow in Albuquerque this December, even though the surrounding foothils and mountains are packed full of the white stuff. As a result, Frosty has transformed himself into a being, created totally from strings of artificial lights. Nonetheless, the snowman gets around pretty well considering he has no snow. In fact, here it appears that Frosty is now much more mobile, due primarily to the complete absense of any frozen percipitation of any kind. Fortunately, he was able to take a few moments out from his night ramble to wish me and anybody else a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

In Depth Analysis

I happened across this fellow a few nights ago near Old Town, but who knows where he may be for Christmas Eve. Word on the street says that Frosty drinks a wee bit and can sometimes be found in one of the many local watering holes found throughout the city. Since he no longer has to worry about melting when at room temperature, I find this explanation to be very plausible.

My Dilemma

The dismissal caught me very much by surprise. One day I was a slave to the computer working long hours to make enough money to support my sojourn through Canada; and then without much notice I was minus my main source of income. Without any substantial resources at my disposal,  I had to use my wits to get throught the crisis. The fact that my financial difficulties were a result of my failing to  heed a whole bunch of warning signs was now immaterial; I had to resort to a different strategy in order to survive.

The Long  Walk

The first thing to go was my 30 dollar a night bed in the Winnipeg hostel. I felt kind of strange, when I left my place-to-stay at 5 pm and started walking without any solid destination. Fortunately, it was a warm August night so I walked out of the city and found a place to sleep east of the city. Here, is the scene that greeted me the next morning as the sun rose across the Manitoba prairie. In some ways my misfortune had a silver lining, for I was now able to make pictures that I would have ever have attempted. I learned that being in the right place at the right time is often essential to a good photographic image.

Colorful butterfly left along the side of the highway nby high-speed traffic

The Way Back Home

My first day on the road, I walked all day long. I was total oblivious about trying to obtain a ride, I just wanted to figure a way out of this mess; and the best way to do that was by walking. Even despite my solitary frame of mind, two kind souls stopped their vehicles. In both cases, I accepted the offer; and in the second situation, I obtained a ride to a nearby town, where I could acquire some much-needed water, as the prairie sun had turned the day into a real scorcher.

Observations 

Walking along the side of the road gave me ample time to observe things I would never have noticed – like this roadside butterfly. It is also gave me a chance to ponder my situation. Eventually, my walking decreased and I started to stick out my thumb in order to hasten my journey south. I learned about the kindness of strangers, as I occassionally received gits in the form of food, supplies and on one occasion – money. My journey eventually took me across the border and into Minnesota, where I found temporary shelter for several weeks and work.

Another view of the Manitoba prairie

19th century cartoon caricature by Udo J. Keppler

David Allan’s Defense

David Allan Coe, a noted country & western singer and songwriter, had his case against the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino thrown out of court this week by an Iowa judge. The case revolved around an incident that occurred in June 2008, when Coe was visiting the casino and tackled by Polk County sheriif’s deputies because he disobeyed an order from the same deputies. Coe’s reason for not responding to the order is reprinted as the title of this post.

As a response to the incident, Coe had sued the casino operators, but the case was thrown out of court because the judge ruled that the deputies were acting under orders from the deputy’s office and there fore not under control of the casino and racetrack.

Who Is David Allan Coe?

David Allan Coe, now 72 years of age, perhaps achieved his greatest fame as author of “Take This Job and Shove It“, a smash hit made popular by Johny Paycheck. However, Coe is long-standing C & W performer, who has been around the performing circuit for awhile.

Waylon, Willie & Me

Mr. Coe obtained some crossover country-rock attention with a song entitled “Waylon, Willie and Me“, a clever tune that equated the creative value of the Texas “outlaw” music of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson with the lesser known singer and songwriter, David Allan Coe. At the time this and other popular tunes provided the Texas singer with a midling recording and performing career, though he never obtained the fame and notoriety of the his two “outlaw” comrades.

C & W “Bad Boy”

Despite his solid reputation as an excellent songwriter, Coe has never received the attention that other singers and songwriters have achieved. This kind of story is always open to speculation, as to why this has happened, and Coe’s trail to fame is no exception. Most likely, it is the singers irascible nature along with his frank exploration of such contemporary issues as drug use, prison time, sexual exploitation and the dark side of rural life that have kept him on the fringes of popular music. Coe was once described by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic magazine, as such; ” he may not be the most original outlaw, but there’s none more outlaw than him.”

David Allan Coe performing in 2009

HH-222: The Waterfall Nebula: Image Credit NASA and Astronomy Picture of the Day

 

At The Mall

On Black Friday I ventured out on the Des Moines (Iowa) Area Rapid Transit (more commonly referred to as the Des Moines public bus system) and visited for the first time, the Jordan Creek Mall in the town of West Des Moines. Not surprisingly the place was mobbed with shoppers. The bus dropped me and a few other perspective shoppers at a huge immense structure called the Century Theater.

Finding Barnes & Nobles

From there I ventured through the mall, which is so big that it could probably hold a complete, modern-day Iowa farm, until I located the Barnes & Noble bookstore. After consuming a rather large chocolate chip cookie, I wandered through the vast array of aisles with a fresh cup of Americano coffee in hand. With a good dose of coffee and chocolate I was able to check-up on all the new releases and what was selling in the well-stocked chain outlet. Though I saw numerous titles that I would have enjoyed bringing home, I left the store empty-handed (except of course for the coffee).

The East Village of Des Moines

Not far away from West Des Moines is the state capitol. Just across the river from the downtown area of Des Moines sits an older section of town called the East Village. The area is only several blocks wide and not much longer, but since it sits in the lee side of the state capitol building, the place receives a lot of visitors. The businesses are mostly restaurant and retail, including a small book store called Plain Talk.

Even though the place is not much bigger than a hole in the wall, the interior manages to have on display a good number of new and used books. They also sell coffee (what bookstore doesn’t these days) and by the looks of things are in the infant stage of starting a restaurant on the second floor.  I enjoyed the coffee very much and ended up purchasing a used copy of “Sun Storm” by Asa Larsson (no kin to Stieg, at least as far as I know).

Comparing the Twain

I guess you might say that in their own two ways, these places are both survivors of the changing world of selling books. Barnes & Nobles is still around because of its early awareness of the importance of selling e-books. This includes the development of the Nook, an e-book reading device that is successfully competing with other contraptions of a similar nature.

On the other hand, the small “Ma & Pa” operation is hanging in there because of its unique location and its ability to diversify. For the time being, many booksellers are holding their own, even in the present topsy-turvey market, but who knows what the future may bring.

The Butterfly Nebula from Hubble

Contact from Demand Studios

Today I received an email from Demand Studios concerning my last post here on WordPress. Alas, my fears of not being able to receive anymore money from Demand Studios, if I did not sign the new agreement, turned about to be unfounded. In the e-mail the DS staff clearly stated that the new agreement does not affect revenues from past articles. I am relieved to know that my revenue sharing income will continue as is.

Is Big Brother Watching?

To be honest I am glad that DS contacted me about the matter and I don’t feel that is it out of order for them to so. In my opinion, it is good policy for individuals involved in any type of internet activity to Google their own name and keep track of who is following them. I have no problem with companies like DS doing the same thing. Their intentions may be as straightforward and simple as trying to gauge their reception and response to their online activities.

An Important Reminder

This little episode also serves as a convenient reminder to think twice about what you say on the internet, for once though words are out in the web, there is no taking them back. Looking back, I would have worded my statement slightly differently and perhaps tried to contact DS directly before posting. So long for now and happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

The “Dark Side of the Moon” as seen by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

New Notice At Demand Studios

 I went to Demand Studios today to check up on my monthly earnings and lo and behold I was not able to access the information. It seems that DS had posted a message that I needed to update the Contributor’s Agrreement that I had signed, when I started writing for the company back in 2008. That in itself was not so bad, but the fact that the site programmers had changed the page coding, so that I could not access my earnings data without signing the agreement has made me rather upset about the whole state of affairs at the Santa Monica content mill.

What It Means

At present it looks like I will not receive any more money from DS unless I sign the agreement. Is anyone else experiencing the same thing?

Uncertain Future

My first impulse was to sign the agreement so that I could continue receiving the measely 15 to 25 dollars per month that the California company still owes me on Revenue Sharing articles until they expire several years from now. However, common sense came over me and I realized that DS should honor its previous agreement without any further ado. Having to sign an additional agreement after my termination as a regular article writer seems way out of line.

What This Means

My hunch is that Demand Studios is presently facing a host of complaints and legal actions regarding the way that they let go of the vast majority of writers during the summer of this year. Personally, I am not so mad that I was let go, but more upset over the way that it happened. The real issue that bothered me was taking articles that I had claimed, out of the queu, so they could not have been completed. However, on their behalf, I must say that they did allow articles in draft to be finished.

My Recourse

At this point I think I will not sign the new agreement, because I don’t think it is necessary. Losing the several hundred dollars that will eventually come my way seems minor compared to what they are asking me to do… And that is modify an agreement after it has gone into effect.

Christopher Hitchens in 2007

Russell Means

Two Public Figures Share A Common Fate

Despite the fact that they come from countries and continents separated by a large ocean, Christopher Hitchens and Russell Means share a common dilemma. They both have been recently diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus, a potentially fatal ailment that has necessitated sophisticated medical treatment.  Born ten years apart in Great Britain and the United States,  Hitchens and Means have responded to their life-threatening cancers in different ways. In fact, how they have responded to the cancer,  reflects not only on the lands where they dwell, but on their outlook and philosophy towards life.

The Cancer

Esophageal cancer occurs in the esophagus, a long tube that connects the back of your mouth with your stomach. This internal structure is the organ, which transfers food from the back of your mouth to your stomach. According to the Mayo Clinic, this type of cancer often occurs where smoking, heavy alcohol use and obesity are present. Treatment and cure for this type of cancer is not always successful, especially when the disease is not diagnosed in its beginning stages.

Hitchens and Means

Even though these two men have derived from differing backgrounds and countries, they have come to represent strong viewpoints that are often at odds with the dominant way of thinking in each country. Russell Means background is Oglala Sioux and he has become a fixture of the American public scene that dates back to the early 70s, when he was part of a highly visible confrontation between American Indians and the US government. Since that time, Russell has been much sought-after as a public speaker, writer and movie actor, who starred in ‘Last of the Mohicans’.

On the other hand, Hitchens grew up as the oldest son of two parents, who served long careers with the British military. As a young man, Mr. Hitchens moved from base to base with his parents before attending a prestigious boarding school and college (Oxford). From his well-educated background Hitchens went on to become a controversial, but widely read author and public speaker. Perhaps the most common traits the two men share is the controversial nature of their public speaking and writing.

Bad News Arrives

Hitchens received his serious diagnosis in 2010, just as he was about to undertake a speaking tour to promote his new book, “Hitch 22″. Since that time Christopher has been forced to cancel many speaking obligations because of his inability to talk. He is also undergoing cancer treatment in Great Britain. For Means, the bad news did not show up until July 2011, when he was diagnosed with an advanced stage of esophagus cancer.  At the time Means said that he would seek Native remedies and that he was prepared to die, if these efforts failed.

Means Does A 180

Despite his original proclamation, Means did seek out professional help from the mainstream American medical community and did receive sophisticated tomo therapy at the Sunridge Medical Wellness Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. As of late September (2011) Means claimed that his tumor is significantly diminished and that he can now swallow and talk. In regards to his big turn around, the noted activist stated “Pete Catches, a strong spiritual Oglala Medicine Man told us in AIM back in the 1970s that there will be times when we have to use the white man to fight his diseases”.

Recent picture of Russell Means

Hitchens Struggles

Unfortunately, the struggle of Christopher Hitchens in his cancer battle has not followed a parallel course. After a prolonged chemotherapy treatment and loss of his gall bladder, Christopher still struggles with daily life and maintaining at least a partial writing schedule. Still, his fight with cancer has drawn much attention and best wishes from around the globe and his occasional appearances on video tape have gained quite a following, plus his new book, “Hitch 22″ is selling very well.

Hitchens during cancer in 2010

In Conclusion

Hopefully both men will recover from their ordeals and enjoy some more time on the planet, but no matter how well you say it, this type of cancer is difficult to survive.

Replica of Henry Hudson's Half Moon as it approaches Manhattan

Wall St. In The News

Wall Street is in the news again, though this time the famous NYC avenue is headline material because of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ activities that are taking place in Manhattan and other sites around the nation. Members of the loose-knit movement are adamant about the reform of Wall street and the banking industry, especially since the crash of the banking industry that occurred in 2007 and 2008. In fact, splinter and support groups can be found in various places around the country. There is a even a small group here in Des Moines that has set up an encampment right outside the state capitol building.

Wall Street Skyline from the Staten Island Ferry

History

Wall Street has a long history as a place of business that dates back to the early 18^th century. And before that the Manhattan Island real estate was part of a defensive barrier created by the Dutch to prevent an English takeover of the strategic piece of land. For it was the Dutch, not the English who first explored the rich delta that lay at the mouth of the Manhattes River. Nowadays, the river is called the Hudson, but beginning in 1607 and 1608, Dutch explores such as Adrien Block, Henry Hudson and Henry Christiaensen visited the mouth of the river, while searching for the famed ‘Northwest Passage’.

Fur Traders

Though the Northwest Passage was never found, Block and Christiaensen made repeated trips to rich estuary that includes present-day Staten Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn, along with Nassau. Here, they developed a lively fur trade with the surprisingly friendly Indians and in 1626 New Amsterdam was created as a colony of Holland. However, peace with the Indians did not last long, leading to conflict between the coloninsts and the Native Americans.

The Wall

In 1653 a wooden wall constructed from upright pointed logs was constructed to give the Dutch settlers some defense against English attacks. This long line of defense would become the Wall Street of today. Though it should be noted that in 1664, New Amsterdam was taken over by the British by a surprise attack. In the end New Amsterdam was lost to the English Crown without one shot being fired.

The Slave Auction

In 1711 Wall Street began its entry into the business world, when a busy, slave auction was established at this location. Placement of the commercial exchange has inspired such musical numbers as “Wall Street Rag” by Scott Joplin (1909), a “Wall Street Wail” by Duke Ellington (1930) and W.C. Handy’s “Wall Street Blues” in (1929).

NYC Harbor

Today, the buildings of Wall Street make for a commanding view, especially when viewed from the Staten Island Ferry as it crosses the NYC harbor. In fact the whole bay is part of a beautiful watery world that leaves one wondering what life was like here at the early years of the 17^th century, when the early explorers were first encountering the Native Lenapi and Munsee population.

The Movement

The current protest situation only underscores how much life has changed in the last several centuries and how different the challenges are today. For an interesting insight into what is going on with the demands of ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protestors and the activities of the finance industry, check out this interesting post at ‘Litkicks’, called “Honest Capitalism”.

Henry Hudson Arrives In New York Harbor by Edward Moran (1898)

George Harrison on the cover of his album, All Things Must Pass

It All Seems A Little Strange Now

George Harrison, the youngest Beatle, has been gone for ten years, though it certainly doesn’t seem that long ago that the ‘Quiet One’ passed away at age 58. On the cover of this solo release, George seems a little out of touch with the world that he helped create as one of the original Beatles. It is hard to believe that the guitarist was only 27, when the Beatles broke up, but that is the reality of being part of one of the world’s most successful musical combos.

Living In the Material World

Tonight the second and final part of Martin Scorscese’s TV film gets broadcast on HBO. I guess if you are a big name rock’n roller, having Martin do your documentary is quite an honor, especially since he does so few and his last effort was a portrayal of Bob Dylan. Unfortunately, George is not around to watch the HBO program, but all reports indicate that Martin has taken an obtuse path in delving into George’s private world. Reportedly, this documentary is the result of a request by the Beatle’s widow, Olivia Harrison. The piece explores the musical and spiritual world of the gifted musician, who gladly undertook the challenge of learning to play the Sitar. I wish I could watch it, but unfortunately I do not have access to a TV tonight. Thank God for reruns and DVD players.