Between Homes - A Place to Stay Awhile

DESIDERATA AND CALIFORNIA RAINBOWS

2011-11-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Max Ehrmann (September 26, 1872 – September 9, 1945) was, an American writer, poet, and attorney from Terre Haute, Indiana. Ehrmann was of German descent; both his parents emigrated from Bavaria in the 1840s. Ehrmann often wrote on spiritual themes. In 1927, he wrote his most famous poem, DESIDERATA.

DESIDERATA means "desired things." It urges people to see the beauty and troubles of the world through wise, hopeful and compassionate eyes. Ehrmann said that he wrote it for himself "because it counsels those virtues I felt most in need of." DESIDERATA has touched millions of hearts and many people pattern their lives after it.

The text of the poem was widely distributed in poster form and in late 1971 and early 1972, Les Crane's spoken-word recording of Desiderata peaked at #8 on the Billboard chart, #4 on the Canadian RPM Magazine chart, and #6 on the UK Melody Maker's chart.

I have found this simple, yet powerful, poem to be a constant source of inspiration and solace. Recently, I shared it for the first time with my daughter when she was going through a rough patch. I hope that she finds its straightforward beauty to be as inspirational as I have.

I hope you enjoy it as well.

DESIDERATA (1927)
By Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Les Crane - DESIDERATA

Last week I had the opportunity to spend a few days in the California Central Coast town of San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo (or SLO as it is known to the locals) is an idyllic place, especially for lovers of outdoor activities.

As you may have guessed, I brought my bike along with me and spent many hours happily riding the roads in and around town. In SLO, cycling is a widely accepted mode of transportation. The Bill Roalman (Morro Street) Bicycle Boulevard gives priority to bicycle traffic while a special bicycle traffic signal (one of only a handful in the United States) allows bicyclists their own phase in traffic flow. The SLO County Bicycle Coalition offers a free bicycle valet service during the weekly Farmers' Market. In 2007, the city was designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community at the Silver level by the League of American Bicyclists.

One of my rides took me for a 50 mile jaunt from SLO to Morro Bay to Avila Beach and back to SLO. In the middle of the ride, the skies opened up and I was caught in a heavy, but thankfully brief, downpour that soaked me to the bone. But as they say, every dark cloud has a silver lining.

In my case, the silver lining were the beautiful rainbows that greeted me as the rain moved across the valley. Luckily I had my camera with me, so please enjoy with me the sight of these beautiful rainbows.

Plus je vois les hommes, plus j'admire les chiens

2011-09-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

It has been quite a while (nearly two months to be precise) since I posted my last blog article. I guess that after the Tour de France ended, I found myself inspired to ride more and write less.

Well, that is about to change. Days are getting shorter now (boo-hoo) and so I find myself with less time to ride my bike after work (double boo-hoo) so now there will be less riding and more writing (and reading).

In my efforts to teach myself French, I have been doing a tad more reading of French text. While reading French I came across this nifty little phrase:

“Plus je vois les hommes, plus j'admire les chiens.”

Loosely translated (and that is all I can do now, loose translations) the phrase means:

“The more I see of men, the more I admire (or love) dogs.”

While the sentiment expressed may be a bit too cynical for me, the fact remains that a dog is man’s (and woman’s) best friend. A dog does not care if its human companion is rich or poor, tall or short, fat or skinny, ugly or beautiful – no matter what the circumstances may be, a dog will give gift us with unconditional love.

Walt Disney understood this relationship between human and canine. In his films, dogs were portrayed in a sympathetic manner: loyal, trustworthy and loving companions.

I still remember the first time that I saw “Lady and the Tramp.” By then, I had already shared my home with canine companions. Seeing Lady and the Tramp, however, made me look at dogs from a different perspective – yes, Disney was guilty of engaging in a little bit (well maybe a lot) of anthropomorphism but the overall effect was to make me more aware of a dog’s “feelings.”

For all of you who love dogs, and old-fashioned Disney films, here are three scenes from Lady and the Tramp.

Enjoy!

Lady and the Tramp – Bella Notte

Lady and the Tramp - He is a Tramp!

Lady and the Tramp – Lullaby

2011 TOUR DE FRANCE FINAL RESULTS

2011-07-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

It has been almost a week since the end of the Tour de France and I have not yet posted the final race results. Like most bike racing fans, I am still suffering a bit of “Tour withdrawal” so it has taken me this long to finally admit to myself that the Tour is indeed over, at least until next year!

In unexpected fashion, Aussie Cadel Evans finally claimed the yellow jersey that had eluded him in past Tours. As the riders crossed the finish line for the last time at the 2011 Tour de France. Entering this year’s tour, Evans was a two-time runner-up; he was looking to take down two-time defending champion Alberto Contador. Evans raced a perfect, course-blistering, Time Trial (TT) to make up a 57 seconds deficit on Andy Schleck. Not since American Greg Lemond raced against Frenchman Laurent Fignon in the last stage of the 1986 Tour, has there been a more exciting TT.

Mark Cavendish, the Manx Missile, also took down the 21st stage, becoming the first rider to win three sprints on the Champs Elysées and the first British rider ever to win the Green Jersey. Cavendish is now on track to become the most prolific stage winner in Tour history.

While the best finish for an American was 9th place for Tom Danielson (Go Tommy D!) from Team Garmin-Cervelo, this was nevertheless a very good Tour for the English speaking countries. Aussie Evans took the yellow jersey while racing for an American team. Brit Cavendish took the green jersey while also riding for an American team (which, incidentally trains not far from my home). The winner of the team competition, Team Garmin-Cervelo, is an American team (that races on Canadian made bikes). So all in all, an outstanding Tour for the English-speakers.

This was also a great Tour for France and the legions of Francophiles. No Frenchman has won the Tour since Bernard Hinault won it in 1985. This year, however, a young Frenchman, Pierre Rolland of Team Europcar, won le maillot blanc (the white jersey). Le maillot blanc is awarded to the best young rider in the Tour. Past winners of le maillot blanc have included Andy Schleck (three-time second place winner) and Alberto Contador (three time first place winner). So Pierre is in very good company.

Speaking of Team Europcar, who can forget Thomas Voeckler’s heroic battle, through ten stages of the Tour, to keep and defend his maillot jaune. Voeckler finally lost the yellow on Stage 19 of the Tour. But for ten thrilling, electrifying days, the entire French nation and most of the world (except maybe for Luxemburg) turned its eye to le petit Frenchman as he battled fantastic odds to stay in yellow.

I hope that Rolland’s and Voeckler’s performances, along with the showing by several French cycling team that were not expected to do well this year, is a harbinger of good things to come for French cycling. After the huge doping scandal of 1998 (the Festina Affair ) France took the lead in fighting against the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Since 1998, France has adopted, and imposed, the world’s strictest doping controls. Many experts think, I believe rightly so, that France’s tough stand against drug use in cycling has hurt its ability to compete against competitors from other nations that may have more of a laissez-faire attitude towards drug use in sports.

This was one of the most exciting Tours in recent history. I hope that the 2011 Tour demonstrates, finally, that athletes, including cyclists, can be competitive AND clean.

Here are the results for each category at the 2011 Tour de France:

Yellow Jersey (Overall Winner): Cadel Evans, Australia
Green Jersey (Points Classification): Mark Cavendish, Great Britain
Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): Samuel Sanchez, Spain
White Jersey (Best Young Rider): Pierre Rolland, France

Here are the top five finishes for each competition category.

General Classification (maillot jaune):

1 Cadel Evans (Australia) BMC Racing Team 86:12:22
2 Andy Schleck (Luxemburg) Leopard Trek 0:01:34
3 Frank Schleck (Luxemburg) Leopard Trek 0:02:30
4 Thomas Voeckler (France) Team Europcar 0:03:20
5 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:03:57

Green jersey (points competition):

1. Mark Cavendish (UK) HTC-Highroad, with 334 points
2. Joaquin Rojas Jose (Spain) Movistar Team, with 272 points
3. Philippe Gilbert (Belgium), Omega Pharma-Lotto, with 236 points
4. Cadel Evans (Australia), BMC Racing Team, with 208 points
5. Thor Hushovd (Norway) Team Garmin-Cervélo, with 195 points

Best young rider:

1. Pierre Rolland (France) Team Europcar, 86h 23′ 05″
2. Rein Taaramae (Estonia) Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne, at 0:46
3. Jérôme Coppel (France) Saur-Sojasun, at 07:53
4. Arnold Jeannesson (France) FdJ, at 10:37
5. Rob Ruijgh (Netherlands), Vacansoleil-Dcm, at 22:21

King of the Mountain (KOM – best climbers):

1. Samuel Sanchez (Spain), Euskaltel-Euskadi, with 108 points
2. Andy Schleck (Luxemburg), Team Leopard-Trek, with 98 points
3. Jelle Vanendert (Belgium), Omega Pharma-Lotto, with 74 points
4. Cadel Evans (Australia), BMC Racing Team, with 58 points
5. Frank Schleck (Luxemburg) Team Leopard-Trek, with 56 points

Team competition:

1. Team Garmin-Cervélo (USA) 258h 18′ 49″
2. Team Leopard-Trek (Luxemburg) at 11:04
3. Ag2r La Mondiale (France) at 11:20
4. Team Europcar (France) at 41:53
5. Euskaltel-Euskadi (Spain) at 52:00

Le Maillot Jaune 2011 Tour de France

ONE DREAM ENDS - ANOTHER DREAM STARTS

2011-07-22T12:19:00.001-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

TOUR DE FRANCE - STAGE 19

French cyclist Pierre Rolland sensationally won stage 19 of the Tour de France at Alpe d'Huez to take the white jersey and move into the top ten in the GC. But it was a hard day for sentimental favorite Thomas Voeckler who lost his yellow jersey after 10 fabulous days in the race lead - despite yet another brave effort.

Pierre Rolland, for 10 days a constant rock beside Thomas Voeckler, came into his own on Friday to win atop Alpe d'Huez. Youngster Rolland is only the second French rider in history to achieve this monumental feat - and the last? Just one Bernard Hinault back in 1986...

Rolland's stunning win takes the edge off Voeckler's loss of the maillot jaune - and also ends France's long wait for a stage on this year's race. What's more, the 24-year-old did not rely on a fortunate breakaway to deliver the goods - Rolland attacked the race's very best climbers on one of cycling's most demanding of climbs, looked to have lost it, then fought back with sheer grit and determination on his way to securing the biggest win of his career.

At the foot of Alpe d'Huez and its legendary 21 hairpins, Rolland broke clear from the leading group of riders just as Voeckler and a large chasing group were returning into the action after the long descent of the Col du Galibier. Rolland soon dropped his fellow escapee, the Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo), before himself being caught and passed by the three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank), who followed up an attack on the Col du Telegraph with another early attack on Alpe d'Huez.

But Rolland refused to give up, stabilizing his deficit to around 20 seconds while being joined by another Spaniard, the stage 12 winner Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel). Rolland used the wheel of the Olympic champion Sanchez to return to the wheel of Contador before launching his own counter attack with just three kilometers to the summit. Neither Spaniard could respond to Rolland's unexpected dig, and the rider from Orleans kissed his Europcar shirt as he rode over the line 15 seconds clear of Sanchez and 23 seconds ahead of Contador.

Voeckler rode a brilliant stage on Friday, never giving up even when the odds were stacked against him. The former national champion tried his best to keep up with both Contador and Andy Schleck when they broke clear on the first climb of the day, the Col du Telegraph. Voeckler managed to keep the deficit to 30 seconds before deciding to drop back to the main chasing group to rejoin his teammates. But on the ascent of the Col du Galibier, Voeckler could not find the legs to keep in touch, leaving Rolland to ride on with the other favorites.

"I said I wanted to do everything possible to defend the yellow jersey of Thomas but on the climb of the Galibier, Thomas told me, 'Seize your chance, don't worry about me'," said Rolland, adding: "It will take me a little time before I realize what I've done."

Voeckler finished the stage 3:22 down on his teammate but is still in line for a top five finish in Paris. Thomas is currently 2:10 off the pace in fourth place, with his nearest rival being the Italian Damiano Cunego (Lampre) in firth, 3:31 down.

Merci Monsieur Voeckler de dix jours merveilleux.

VOECKLER IN YELLOW AFTER STAGE 18

2011-07-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Voeckler lives to stay in yellow for one more day! The common wisdom in cycling circles was that the 2011 Tour de France (TdF) was going to be decided in the final two mountain stages in the Alps.

With two days of enormous climbs, the weak were no longer had anywhere to hide, mountains like Col Agnel, Col d’Izoard, Col du Galibier, and Alpe-d’Huez are too big and too steep for those who aren’t good enough to survive. From the day when TdF founder Henri Desgrange made the decision to include Alpine passes in the Tour, the
high mountains became the place where riders who want to win the Tour make their move and stamp their authority on the race.

On today’s Stage 18, Leopard-Trek rider and two-time runner-up to Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck finally attacked. With a little over 60 kms to go before the stage finish on top of the monster Col du Galibier, Andy Schleck launched a blistering attack. For reasons that are not immediately obvious, the peloton did not react and just let Andy ride away—a big tactical mistake I my opinion. .

The responsibility for chasing Schleck fell on the shoulders of Aussie rider, Cadel Evans. For the final 25 kms of the race, Evans was left to play tow truck for the rest of the peloton.

Somehow, however, through all of the pain of the climbs and despite not being one of the chosen race favorites, Frenchman Thomas Voeckler managed to stay attached to Evans’ wheel and got to the finish line with enough time to retain his yellow jersey for the tenth day.

Voeckler’s lead is now down to a mere 15 seconds – a very tiny, sliver of an edge. (By comparison, American Greg Lemond defeated Laurent Fignon by a mere 8 seconds in the 1989 Tour.) All the so-called experts now agree that Voeckler cannot survive with the maillot jaune until Paris. Voeckler has one big fan in his corner, however. During a recent interview, American champion and seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong stated his support for the Frenchman, stating that it is not impossible for Voeckler to be in yellow on Sunday when the Tour ends.

Let’s hope that Lance is right. So far Voeckler has managed to surprise everyone with his resilience and courage; Voeckler will take his place in the history books as a worthy holder of the famous maillot jaune!

About Thomas Voeckler:

Voeckler has been a professional cycliste since 2001. He currently rides for Team Europcar (formerly known as Bbox Bouygues Telecom, Bouygues Télécom, Brioches la Boulangère, and Bonjour). He comes from the Alsace region of France (which explains his German-sounding last name) but later moved to Martinique, where he was nicknamed "Ti-Blanc" (petit blanc) due to his small stature and pale complexion. He also known as le Chou-Chou ("Sweetheart") perhaps because of his young looks and his habit of sticking out his tongue in races.

The 2011 Team Europcar (le equipe):

Voeckler’s big moment on the cycling world came in the 2004 Tour. In 2004, Voeckler won the French championship; he then entered the 2004 TdF. After escaping with five other riders during Stage 5, Voeckler gained significant time against the peloton, and earned the maillot jaune. To everyone’s surprise, Voeckler defended his jersey for ten days, even on stages not well-suited to his strengths. With the maillot jaune on his shoulders, and intense media attention all around him, Voeckler only rode stronger. He survived the dreaded Pyrenean climbs, seconds ahead of the eventual winner, Lance Armstrong. Eventually, however, Voeckler surrendered the jersey to Armstrong on stage 15 in the French Alps.

But by then, Voeckler had already become a national hero to the bike-crazy French.

I do not know if Voeckler can retain the maillot jaune through tomorrow’s daunting Stage 19. I sure hope he does – he is my sentimental pick to win it all. Even if he does not, however, Voeckler has become one of my cycling heroes!

To quote Robert F. Kennedy (who in turn was quoting Irish writer George Bernard Shaw):

Some men see things as they are and ask,
Why?
Other men dream of things that have never been and ask,
Why not?

Monsiuer Voeckler, I dare you to dream of things that have never been - I dare you to dream that you will wear le maillot jaune in Paris on Sunday.

Bonne chance M. Voeckler. Allez, allez, allez!

STAGE 17 UPDATE - VOECKLER IN YELLOW - AMERICAN PIE ANNIVERSARY

2011-07-20T12:03:00.002-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

In another victory for a Norwegian rider, Edvald Boasson Hagen, from Team Sky, made it two wins in two days for Norway as he crossed the line in Pinerolo to comfortably take victory in Stage 17. With the Viking God of Thunder, Thor Hushovd, taking two stage victories of his own, the 2011 TdF may well be remembered as the “Viking Invasion.”

Hagen now matches compatriot Thor Hushovd and has taken two stage wins in this year's tour after a well-timed attack on the final ascent before an impeccable descent down to the finish line saw him finish 40 seconds ahead of second place Bauke Mollema of Rabobank.

Hagen takes Stage 17 of the TdF

French rider Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) once again successfully defended the maillot jaune. Volcker, however, looked nervous on the descent, taking part in a detour into a driveway where another rider has almost crashed minutes earlier. That unplanned detour made the maillot jaune look like a mountain-bike rider as Voeckler dropped down onto the paved driveway, only just avoiding a nasty fall. Nevertheless, the time that he took to get back to the road ended up costing the Frenchman 27 seconds off his lead. almost half a minute.

Perhaps the pressure of carrying the maillot jaune on his shoulders, and along with it the hopes of an entire French nation that wants to see the first Frenchman to take yellow in more than 25 years, is making Voeckler a little nervous. Tomorrow the race returns to French soil – let’s hope that by then Voeckler will have found a way to shed the pressures of the maillot jaune. The entire French nation is counting on him – no pressure!

Here are the results from Stage 17.

Stage 17 top five finishers:

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sky Procycling, in 4h 18′ 00″
2. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 00:40
3. Sandy Casar, Fdj, at 00:50
4. Julien El Fares, Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne, at 00:50
5. Sylvain Chavanel, Quick Step Cycling Team, at 00:50

General Classification (top 10 spots after 17 stages):

1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, in 73h 23′ 49″
2. Cadel Evans, BMC Racing Team, at 1:18
3. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 01:22
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 02:36
5. Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 02:59
6. Alberto Contador, Saxo Bank Sungard, at 03:15
7. Damiano Cunego, Lampre-Isd, at 03:34
8. Ivan Basso, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 03:49
9. Tom Danielson, Team Garmin-Cervelo, at 06:04
10. Rigoberto Uran, Sky Procycling, at 07:36

Green jersey (sprinters) standings (after 17 stages):

1. Mark Cavendish, HTC-Highroad, with 320 points
2. Joaquin Rojas Jose, Movistar Team, with 285 points
3. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, with 250 points
4. Thor Hushovd, Team Garmin-Cervelo, with 235 points
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sky Procycling, with 173 points

King of the Mountain (KOM) standings after 17 stages:

1. Jelle Vanendert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, with 74 points
2. Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel-Euskadi, with 72 points
3. Jérémy Roy, Fdj, with 45 points
4. Sylvain Chavanel, Quick Step Cycling Team, with 38 points
5. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, with 28 points

“American Pie” Turns 40!

On another news, 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of an American classic, American Pie a song written and performed by songwriter-singer Don McLean.

Recorded on May 26, 1971, the song became a #1 hit in 1972, remaining in the #1 spot for four weeks. The song is well known for its cryptic lyrics that have long been the subject of curiosity and speculation.

So here, for your listening pleasure one of my favorite songs, Don McLean’s “American Pie.

American Pie – DON McLEAN (with lyrics)

STAGE 16 RESULTS - VOECKLER IN YELLOW AND ARC'S RIDE

2011-07-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

As the Tour de France heads into the mighty Alps, and I watch the riders valiantly climb higher and higher mountains, I am reminded of the lyrics to “The Impossible Dream,” from the musical Man of La Mancha. Man of La Mancha is the story of Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes and his tale of a romantic knight-errant, Don Quijote de la Mancha.

In particular, these words seem to capture the essence of what it means to be a rider in the TdF:

To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
…

To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

Substitute the word "arms" for legs, the word “star” for mountain and the word “Hell” for suffering and you have a very apt description of what these riders go through every day as they face the seemingly interminable climbs of the French and Italian Alps.

There is a stanza, in an old poem titled IF , by the famous English writer Rudyard Kipling that also reminds me of the final struggles of a sprinter as he (or she) powers his bike towards the finish line.

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

In today’s stage 16 of the TdF, French rider Thomas Voeckler continues to impress his fans across the world by again defending the maillot jaune against numerous attacks by the likes of Cadel Evans, the Schleck brothers and, of course, three-time TdF winner Alberto Contador. No one expected Voeckler, least of all himself, to be in the yellow this far into the final week of the TdF. In fact, in a press conference in yesterday’s rest day, Voeckler said that his chances of winning the maillot jaune in Paris are “zero.” Then, in a very Quijote-like manner, Voeckler added, “but I will keep fighting until the end!”

Let’s hope that Voeckler can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty-seconds worth of hard pedaling so that when the Tour ends in Paris, the maillot jaune, and the love of his appreciative fans and adoring nation, will be his.

Allez Monsieur Voeckler.

Thomas Voeckler as he is being paced by his teammates from Europcar

Here are the results from Stage 16 of the Tour:

Stage 16 results:

1. Thor Hushovd, Team Garmin – Cervelo, in 3h 31′ 38″
2. Boasson Hagen Edvald, Team Sky Procycling, at s.t.
3. Ryder Hesjedal, Team Garmin – Cervelo, at 00:02
4. Tony Martin, Team HTC – Highroad, at 00:38
5. Mikhail Ignatyev, Katusha Team, at 00:52

General classification (GC) after 16 stages:

1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, in 69h 00′ 56″
2. Cadel Evans, BMC Racing Team, at 01:45
3. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 01:49
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 03:03
5. Samuel Sanchez, Team Euskaltel – Euskadi, at 03:26

Green jersey competition (sprinter points) after 16 stages:

1. Mark Cavendish, Team HTC – Highroad, with 319 points
2. Joaquin Rojas Jose, Movistar Team, with 285 points
3. Philippe Gilbert, Team Omega Pharma – Lotto, with 250 points
4. Thor Hushovd, Team Garmin – Cervelo, with 235 points
5. André Greipel, Team Omega Pharma – Lotto, with 170 points

King of the Mountain (KOM) competition after 16 stages:

1. Jelle Vanendert, Team Omega Pharma – Lotto, with 74 points
2. Samuel Sanchez, Team Euskaltel – Euskadi, with 72 points
3. Jérémy Roy, Team FdJ, with 45 points
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, with 28 points
5. Cadel Evans, BMC Racing Team, with 26 points

Report from Arcabulle (Arc) Odriscoll and L’Etape du Tour.

Last night I had an opportunity to chat with Arc about his ride in L’Etape. As I previously reported, the riders in L’Etape had to contend with rain, wind and cold temperatures (7C at the starting line and 4C at the top of the highest climbs); this, in addition to three Category 2 climbs and three Category 3 climbs.

According to Arc, this ride was of “apocalyptic” proportions. Now, you may think that Arc is engaging in a bit of typical Franco-hyperbole . If you are inclined to think of Arc’s description of the ride as pure hyperbole, then please consider the following.

Almost 8000 riders had originally signed up to ride this year's L'Etape. In the morning of the ride, weather conditions along the course were so bad, that only about 4000 riders actually showed up. Think about this, by the time the ride started, the field of riders had already been reduced by 50%. The cyclists who every year ride L'Etape du Tour come from all over the world, they train hard for the ride and pay a high entrance fee to participate in L’Etape. These riders are very committed to their sport, they are not very likely to abandon the race, before it even starts, unless ride conditions were, as Arc said, “apocalyptic.”

Things only got worse after the start; drenching rain, driving winds and numbing cold made the ride extremely difficult. Arc reported seeing riders simply turning around and heading back to the starting line in Issoire. More telling, however, Arc reported seeing riders abandoning their bikes by the side of the road, just for a chance to get out of thecold, wind and rain and on the bus back to Issoire.
In Arc’s own words:

“…on the Plateau de Beille , there was lot of rain and also lot of wind coming in front of us! And on this place, this plateau, we saw lots and lots of riders coming back , they abandoned we were climbing and they were going down they abandoned ! you can't imagine, it was apocalyptic hundred and hundreds of riders were so cold stopped as we say in French, they were "transis de froid" and many girls were very cold too ! it was so incredible ! to give you an example, you know they plan and organize bus and trucks to carry riders and bikes when they abandon ! you know what, they used 30 buses (to carry all the riders who abandoned)…”

I cannot even begin to imagine a situation where I am so tired, so cold and so wet that I would just toss my bike on the side of the road and leave it there.

Arc’s finishing time of just less than 10 hours and 30 minutes may not seem to be very fast compared to the winning time of Spanish rider Luis-Leon Sanchez, from the Dutch Rabobank Cycling Team (5 hours and 27 minutes). Consider, however, that Arc is a regular “Joe” with real life obligations, like the rest of us, that keep him from training like the professionals do. Seen in that light, his overall time in this very challenging ride, is nothing short of amazing. How many of us can pedal a bike for 10 hours plus, while battling mountains, cold, wind and rain. I am a regular rider, but I know that even I cannot accomplish what Arc accomplished: a truly epic performance in a very apocalyptic day.

Congratulations to you Arc and to your family for their love and support while you ride!

VOECKLER STAYS IN YELLOW-ARC COMPLETES THE 2011 L'ETAPE

2011-07-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

In a relatively flat, fast stage, the surprising French rider Thomas Voeckler successfully defended the maillot jaune for one more day. Voeckler is a tough rider who has managed to surprise all the experts by staying in yellow for this long. In 2004 Voeckler kept the maillot jaune for 10 stages. Lance Armstrong, the eventual winner of the 2004 Tour, said this about Voeckler, “if a man is willing to ride that hard to defend the yellow, let him keep it for as long as he can.”

Could this be the year that a Frenchman stands at the #1 spot in Paris? With Voeckler, it is very possible – stay tuned.

British rider Mark Cavendish, better known as the Manx-missile, outsprinted American rider Tyler Farrar to win stage 15 of the race. In the last five years Cavendish has now won an astonishing 18 stages of the TdF, if he stays on track, he will pass legendary riders such as Bernard Hinault (France) and Eddy Merckx (Belgium) as one of the most successful stage winners. For his efforts, Cavendish has earned the green jersey, “maillot verts.”

Stage 15 quick recap

Stage 15:

1. Mark Cavendish, Htc – Highroad, 4h 20′ 24″
2. Tyler Farrar, Team Garmin – Cervelo, s.t.
3. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre – Isd, s.t.
4. Daniel Oss, Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.
5. Joaquin Rojas Jose, Movistar Team, s.t.

General Classification standings:

1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, 65h 24′ 34″
2. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 1:49
3. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team, at 02:06
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 02:15
5. Ivan Basso, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 03:16

King of the mountain standings:

1. Jelle Vanendert, Omega Pharma – Lotto, at 74 points
2. Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel – Euskadi, at 72 points
3. Jérémy Roy, Fdj, at 45 points
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 28 points
5. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team, at 26 points

Green jersey:

1. Mark Cavendish, Htc – Highroad, with 319 points
2. Joaquin Rojas Jose, Movistar Team, with 282 points
3. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma – Lotto, with 248 points
4. Thor Hushovd, Team Garmin – Cervelo, with 192 points
5. André Greipel, Omega Pharma – Lotto, with 170 points

On other bike-related news, our friend Arc completed the 129 miles (209 km) of L’Etape du tour. Arc's time was just under 10 hours and 30 minutes.

The 2011 L’Etape du Tour was one of the most difficult Etape in recent history. Early in the morning, the 4,000-man amateur peloton set off from the start line in the town of Issoire. As I previously wrote, the stage’s profile was very challenging, with eight categorized climbs (3 Cat. 2, 3 Cat. 3 and 2 Cat. 4). Talk about a rollercoaster ride!

In addition to the seemingly endless climbs, the riders had to contend with drenching rain, strong headwinds and cold temperatures (7°C on the route). At the end, only 1982 riders, out of the original 4,000, made all the way to the finish line in the town of Saint-Flour.

Congratulations to our friend Arc and to all those who completed this freezing adventure!

STAGE 14 - VOECKLER REMAINS IN YELLOW - ARC RIDE L'ETAPE

2011-07-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

As I have written in previous occasions, bike riding is equal parts part physical strength and mental toughness. Feeding the physical engine is simple enough: eat the right foods in the right proportions and your body will be ready for the challenges of a hard ride.

Feeding the mental engine, however, is a bit trickier. There is no one standard “mental fuel” to keep the mental engine in fine fettle as it wills the legs to keep on turning the pedals long after the body has decided to give up.

Some riders feed the mental engine with music; other riders feed the mental engine with meditation. I am not a very religious person, but I find the following passage from the Old Testament to be particularly inspiring, especially when I am climbing a hard hill. The idea of soaring like an eagle and running and not getting tired is particularly powerful.

Those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:31

Today, French rider Thomas Voeckler rode his bike up the mountains of the Pyrenees as if he had wings like an eagle. After winning the maillot jaune on Stage 9 of the Tour (same stage that our friend Arc will ride this Sunday) Thomas Voeckler was expected to quickly lose yellow jersey on the next following stages.

It seems, however, that someone forgot to tell the tough little French rider that the experts did not have much faith on his ability to hold on to the yellow jersey. Since winning the yellow jersey, Voeckler has beaten back every effort to take the leader’s jersey away from him.

On today’s Stage 14, the pre-race favorites Schleck brothers (Andy and Frank) launched one vicious attack after the other. Assisted by their teammates in the multi-talented and powerful Belgian Leopard-Trek team, the Schleck brothers tried to destroy the peloton and pull the maillot jaune from Voeckler’s back. With pluck and determination, Voeckler responded to every attack as he rode to the top of Plateau de Beille. At the end of the day, Voeckler remained in yellow for one more day making his French compatriots delirious with national pride.

Allez Voeckler. Toi etes un coureur cycliste sans paraeil.

Speaking of “un cycliste sans paraeil,” remember that this Sunday, July 17, our friend Arc will be riding L’Etape de Tour - 129 miles (208 km) from Issoire to Saint-Flour. Keep him on your thoughts (and prayers if you prefer) as he mounts up on wings as an eagle and climbs to the top Col du Pas de Peyrol (La Puy Mary) and later on to the top of Col du Perthus.

Allez Arc!

THE VIKING GOD OF THUNDER WINS STAGE 13 OF THE TOUR

2011-07-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Call it the Miracle at Lourdes! World champion Thor Hushovd, the Viking God of Thunder, took his ninth Tour stage victory when he rode alone into Lourdes after an epic 30 km pursuit of plucky French rider Jérémy Roy. The Norwegian rider, who is not known for his climbing ability, had been dropped by the Frenchman on the ascent of the Col d’Aubisque, and was two minutes behind going over the summit, but steadily chipped away at Roy’s advantage.

Hushovd caught David Moncoutié, who had been second over the Aubisque, on the drop from the Col du Soulor, and the pair set about chasing down Roy. At 15km to go, the two chasers had cut Roy’s lead to just 31 seconds.

With little less than 3,000 meters to go before the finish line, Hushovd pedaled away from Moncoutié and was soon up to Roy. The big Norwegian kept on hammering away, jumping past Roy and going on to win the stage.

Roy came in on third place just 26 seconds behind Hushovd and 16 seconds behind second place finisher Moncoutié. Roy, however won the polka dot King of the Mountain (KOM) jersey for his phenomenal attack on the Col d’Aubisque.

THE VIKING GOD OF THUNDER ENJOYS HIS VICTORY

There was no change in the overall standings, with Thomas Voeckler finishing towards the front of the peloton to hold the yellow jersey for another day.

MAP OF STAGE 13 OF THE TdF

PROFILE OF STAGE 13 OF THE TdF

Not a bad day for the European riders: a stage victory for Thor, French rider Voeckler defending his maillot jaune for one more day and fellow compatriot Roy earning the polka dot jersey. Mark Cavendish, the Manx-missile (he is from the Isle of Man, located right smack in the middle of England, Ireland and Scotland) retained his maillot verts (green jersey)

Quick Results

Stage 13:

1. Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) in 3 hours, 47 minutes, 36 seconds
2. David Moncouti (Cofidis) at 00.10
3. Jeremy Roy (FdJ) at 00.26

General Classification:

1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, in 55h 49′ 57″
2. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 1:49
3. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team, at 02:06
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 02:17
5. Ivan Basso, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 03:16

Congratulation to ALL riders for yet another epic effort riding up the mountains of the Pyrenees.

Finally, the answer to yesterday’s quiz question: What BEATLES' song opens with the starting notes from "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem.

The answer: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Take a listen!

BEATLES - ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

HAPPY BASTILLE DAY AND STAGE 12 OF THE TOUR

2011-07-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Today is Bastille Day, the French national holiday that commemorates the storming of the Bastille July 14, 1789. The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis XVI’s Ancient Regime. The storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of the French Revolution. By capturing this symbol of the French monarchy, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.

Although the Bastille only held seven prisoners at the time of its capture, the storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens; like the Tricolore flag, it symbolized the Republic's three ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all French citizens.

Bastille Day was declared the French national holiday July 6, 1880. As in the United States, where the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, signaled the start of the American Revolution, in France the storming of the Bastille began their Great Revolution. In both countries, the national holiday thus symbolizes the beginning of a new form of government.

To read more about Bastille Day (from a previous Between Homes blog article) go here

Do you want a “traditional” French dish to celebrate Bastille Day? Then try mussels steamed in wine with shallots, garlic, and lots of parsley and oven-fried pommes frites flavored with herbes de Provence.

To celebrate Bastille Day in great style, French riders in today’s Stage 12 of the Tour de France (TdF) won significant victories.

On this special day for the French people, French rider Thomas Voeckler, of Team Europcar, defended the maillot jaune that he won on Stage 9 of the TdF. This marks the first time, in many years, when a French rider wears the maillot jaune on Bastille Day. Another French rider, Jérémy Roy, was the first rider to reach the summit at Col de Tourmalet. So on Bastille Day, France is 2 for 2. Félicitations! Viva La France!

Here is a recap of Stage 12:

The Tourmalet

After experiencing technical problems on the descent before the final climb to the Tourmalet, Welsh rider Geraint Thomas was a man on a mission as he pedaled his way up the Tourmalet, dropping his remaining breakaway companions and going at it alone for the second half of the foggy climb. In the meantime, French rider Jérémy Roy valiantly hung on to Thomas’ wheel. But on this day, the French rider would not be denied a victory. Roy finally made contact with Thomas just under a kilometer (0.62 miles) from the top and eventually took the King Of the Mountain (KOM) points and a cash prize of $7,000 Euros (or approximately $5,000 USD in this lousy year for the US dollar).

Final climb to Luz-Ardiden

On the descent from the Tourmalet, Sammy Sanchez (from the Basque team Euskaltel – Euskadi) hit the base of the final climb with a 20-second gap. As the climb steepened, Sanchez and Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) caught and dropped Thomas and Roy. The pair looked fresh and traded paces steadily and built a gap of over a minute ahead of the yellow jersey group.

Thomas Voeckler and his team took over the front at the base, as the lead group dwindled to nine or 10 riders. In the final 3000 meters before reaching the summit at Luz-Ardiden, the Schleck brothers (Andy and Frank), Alberto Contador (last year’s winner of the TdF), Cadel Evans, Voeckler, Ivan Basso formed a group to give chase to Sanchez. After at least four attacks, Frank Schleck finally got free. Evans and Basso took up the chase, with Andy Schleck, Cunego and Contador following and Voeckler finally losing contact.

Frank Schleck quickly closed on Sanchez, coming within sight in the last 500 meters. Sanchez, however, would not be denied and powered the final 300 meters to cross the finish line seven seconds ahead of Jelle Vanendert and 10 seconds ahead of Frank Schleck (team Leopard-Trek).

Quick results:

Stage 12 Results

1. Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel – Euskadi, 6h 01′ 15″
2. Jelle Vanendert, Omega Pharma – Lotto, at 0:07
3. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 00:10
4. Ivan Basso, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 00:30
5. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team, at 00:30

General Classification (overall standings)

1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, at 01:49
2. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 1:49
3. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team, at 02:06
4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 02:17
5. Ivan Basso, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 03:16

Here are some pictures of the Tourmalet in previous TdF:

Tourmalet 1934 – Please note the poor road conditions. Also note the absence of team cars to support the riders. The riders had to carry their own supplies, including spare tires (see them draped across the rider’s chest and shoulders).

Tourmalet 1937 – Take a close look at the pulley arm underneath the bike, right behind the front chainring and ahead of the rear gears. These pulleys were the predecessors of the modern front derailleur; they helped keep the chain properly tensioned when the rider shifted from the big ring to the small ring (in the front).

Tourmalet 1952 – By now, riders were using “modern” bikes with regular front and rear derailleurs.

Tourmalet 2003 – American rider Lance Armstrong and German rider jan Ullrich battle it to the top. Eventually Lance would win the stage and the TdF.

Profile map of Stage 12 of the 2011 TdF.

Finally, in honor of Bastille Day, here is a little musical quiz. What BEATLES' song opens wiht the starting notes from "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem?

Look for the answer in the next blog post.

HOW TO BEAT THE PAIN - MORE TdF "STUFF"

2011-07-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Yesterday I wrote about what it means to “suffer” on the bike. I may have left the impression that bike riding is all pain and no fun. While there is some amount of pain involved in bike riding, for the most part riding a bike is a great deal of fun. If bike riding were not a fun, healthy and socially responsible activity, you would not see so many people out on their bikes, enjoying the fresh air.

Bike riding, however, is more than just making your feet spin in a circle to transmit forward momentum to the bike and keep moving forward (hopefully while staying upright). As Henri Desgrange the man who created the Tour de France (TdF) once commented, bike riding is all about the “tete et jambes” (head and legs).

There is a huge mental component involved in bike riding. Simply put, bike riding often becomes a purely mental exercise. We all have heard tales of the human body accomplishing incredible feats of strength-the same is true in bike riding. For a bike rider there are many situations when the chips are down and Dr Pain starts to knock at the door. This is the time to mentally battening down the hatches and telling your subconscious to ignore the pain coming from the legs and to just keep on going for another meter, for another kilometer. Or as Desgrange might have said: tete over jambes!

I find the following suggestions useful when under pressure. For those readers accustomed to racing or really intense levels of exercise where you push your boundaries, you’ll already have your own methods to overcome physical barriers with mental strength. I just speak from the experience of having been deep in the Hurt Locker:

Music: When I am riding hard, and especially when I am climbing hills, I like to listen to classical music. I picture myself as the orchestra’s conductor, directing the musicians (my muscles) to just play along and to keep on playing until the finale.

In a group ride, if I am struggling to keep up with better or faster riders I wait for someone to come past, and grab his wheel and I hold it as long as I can. When it start to hurt my tete tells my jambes, “two more pedal rotations.” Then two more. And two more. It is a case of pushing through my comfort zone, and getting into that red zone, and adjusting to it. Then pushing just a little bit more. This takes a lot of practice, but you need to be able to focus intensely on one thing: be it holding a wheel, or looking for posts at the side of the road and getting to the next one. This advice especially for climbing - climbing is really all about dominating your body with your mind. Many a time I’ve been on a climb and grabbed a wheel of someone much stronger and focused ALL my mental energy on just holding that wheel, and managed to ride way outside my comfort zone and to the top of the climb.

Another thing that helps me when my jambes are ready to give up is to set small targets. This is a process where you target an object just up the road – say a signpost or a tree and aim to reach it (but don’t hit it). You quickly look for the next target and bit by bit you make your way up the road (or up that nasty hill). Often, I find the process of intensely concentrating on a small, reachable target distracts me from any discomfort I am feeling. I usually then regain strength and can tap out a good rhythm again. Incidentally, this process works in “real life” as well as it works on a bike out on the road. Many times, we face a seemingly daunting project (whether it is finishing a report at work or studying for finals at school). Instead of looking at the ENTIRE project and becoming dispirited by its sheer size, try instead to focus on small sections of the project. When you complete one small portion, move on to the next and then next and then to the next. Before you know it, you will be done with the entire project and what at first seemed to be an impossible task, ends up being a very manageable project.

Finally, the best advice I can give you is: Remain Relaxed!

Nothing is worse for your body than tensing up, gritting your teeth, sucking your stomach in.

No, no, no.

You need to create a frame with your arms, lats, and lower half of your body to “carry” your innards, like a big Sikorsky helicopter. The frame provides a compartment that should be relaxed, so your lungs and diaphragm can operate without restriction.

Following these bits of advice, learned from my own trips to the Hurt Locker, won’t necessarily make you a better rider or climber. I hope, however, that when the pain comes, you will remember my advice and will be able to ride through the “suffering.”

Finally, here are some pictures of suffering and joy, from Stage 9 of the 2011 TdF (the same stage that Arc will be riding on Sunday, July 17). Enjoy!

Dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland suffering after he crashed into a barbed wire fence.

Johnny Hoogerland happy after winning the King of the Mountain shirt in Stage 9 (after crashing)

Belgium rider Van der Broeck in pain after crashing and breaking his collarbone.

French rider Tommy Voeckler happy after winning Stage 9 and wearing the maillot jaune. (Last time Thomas wore the yellow jersey was back in 2004.)

Well, I don't know if this bulls is suffering or not, but he does not seem too interested in the TdF riders passing by him.

L'ETAPE DE TOUR - ARC WILL RIDE AGAIN!

2011-07-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

American singer and songwriter Carly Simon once sang:

'Cause I haven't got time for the pain
I haven't got room for the pain
I haven't the need for the pain

Obviously, Carly Simon is not a bike rider because if she were, she would find a way to make room for “the pain.” Bike riding is, to a large extent, about pain and suffering. If you haven’t got time for the pain, you should pursue some other endeavour, such as stamp collecting. If, on the other hand, you wish to channel your inner-masochist then get on a bike and head for the hills.

People who do not ride a bike on a regular basis do not understand that suffering and bike riding are inextricably linked. Just like peaches and cream, peanut butter and jelly, ying and yang, and Ben and Jerry (of ice cream fame), riding and suffering go together hand in hand. Non-riders constantly ask me: what kind of sport is this where pain is your constant riding companion and what kind of person is crazy enough to voluntarily subject himself to such suffering?

There are no easy answers because unless you have been on a bike, at the end of a long, 60-mile ride, climbing your fourth 8% grade hill of the day, you cannot understand the concept of suffering. The kind of suffering that a bike rider undergoes is not the stupid kind of suffering of the guy in the movie JACKASS who blows up a firecracker attached to his genitals. The kind of suffering that bike riders undergo on a regular basis is the same kind of suffering that a brittle piece of iron ore suffers when it is repeatedly heated and pounded with a hammer until it turns into a strong, sharp piece of steel that will go into the blade of a fine, unbreakable katana.

Suffering on the bike makes the rider a better rider. Suffering also helps to make him (or her) a better person. Only when a person is pushed to the very limits of his performance envelope, is he capable of knowing exactly what kind of “stuff” he is made up. You will never know how far you can go, until you have been there and back.

On July 2, 2011, the 98th Tour de France (or TdF) began and almost right from the start the suffering began. Most Americans only know the TdF as that really long bike race in the month of July, when every French man, woman and child goes on holiday and the country closes down. In reality, however, the TdF is more than a really long bike race – it is a three week party for sadists (the fans who delight in watching their favorite rider suffer on a long, steep climb and the tour organizers who are more than happy to accommodate the fans) and for masochists (every one else in the race). Anyone who has ridden a bike up even a moderate hill knows that at the core of our sport is suffering.

Eskimos have over a hundred words for “snow.” TdF riders can spit out a thousand lactic-acid singed grunts during a climb up a Category 1 mountaintop – each grunt as unique as a snowflake in hell.

Of course, the men who ride in the TdF (there are no women TdF riders – what’s wrong with this picture?) chose to do so, so it must follow that they also freely chose the pain and the suffering that is part of the TdF. No one has ever put a gun to the head of a would-be rider and forced him to climb atop his Bianchi and pedal away. Things were a little different in the early days of the TdF (or for that matter the Giro d’Italia or la Vuelta de España). Back in those days most bike racers came from desperately poor backgrounds – for these early riders the choice was between suffering on the agricultural fields and coalmines or suffering on the bike. At least while riding a bike through the Alps or the Dolomites the view changes all the time – the same cannot be said for working in a coalmine a mile underground.

This coming Sunday, July 17, my close and dear friend (salut mon cheri ami) and Between Homes contributor/officer, Arcabulle Odriscoll will ride on the 2011 L’Etape du Tour. L’Etape du Tour (French for 'stage of the Tour') is an organized mass participation cyclosportive event that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same route as a Tour de France stage. First held in 1993, and now organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation, ASO (the same people who sponsor the TdF, it takes place each July on a Tour rest day.

L’Etape du Tour is normally held over mountain roads in either the Pyrenees or French Alps, up climbs such as the Col du Galibier, Col d'Aubisque, Mont Ventoux or the Col du Tourmalet. Upwards of 8,500 riders participate - many travelling from other countries to compete - and the event takes place on roads closed by the police to other traffic, with refreshment stops and medical support provided along the route.

Monsieur Odriscoll like most riders, myself included, is a glutton for suffering. M. Odriscoll (or Arc as we affectionally call him) has participated in past L’Etape du Tour. In 2009 Arc rode to the top of Mont Ventoux (elevation 6,273 feet/1,912 meters). Last year, Arc rode to the slightly higher top of Col du Tourmalet (elevation 6,939 feet/2115 meters). This year Arc will ride L’Etape from Issoire to Saint Flour. This is the same stage that saw several riders involved in spectacular crashes forcing many of them to abandon the race. Arc’s epic ride will not only be long and painful, it will also be extremely dangerous – who says that the French are just a bunch of frogleg eating poseurs?

The 2011 L’Etape will be 129 miles (208 km) long and it will feature so many climbs and descent along the 129-mile course that it has been referred to as the “roller-coaster” stage.

The following climbs will be included in Arc’s Sunday ride:

Issoire (Departure) to Saint-Flour (Arrival) - 129 miles/208 km

• Mile 27/Km 43.5 - Côte de Massiac – 2.12 miles/3.4 km climb to 6.2 % - Category 3
• Mile 61.8/Km 99.5 - Col du Pas de Peyrol (Le Puy Mary) (5,213 feet/1589 m) – 4.8 miles/7.7 km climb to 6.2 % - Category 2
• Mile 72.0/Km 116.0 - Col du Perthus (4,295 feet/1309 m) – 2.74 miles/4.4 km climb to 7.9 % - Category 2
• Mile 79.22/Km 127.5 - Col de Cère (4,245 feet/1294 m) – 1.80 miles/2.9 km climb to 6.3 % - Category 3
• Mile 86.70/Km 139.5 - Côte de la Chevade – 1.86 miles/3.0 km climb to 7.9 % - Category 3
• Mile 95.70/Km 154.0 - Col de Prat de Bouc (Plomb du Cantal) (4,567 feet/1392 m) – 4.97 miles/8.0 km climb to 6.1 % - Category 2
• Mile 119.90/Km 193.0 - Côte du Château d'Alleuze – 1.25 miles/2.0 km climb to 4.9 % - Category 4
• Mile 129/Km 208.0 – Saint-Flour Montée des Orgues – 1.0 mile/1.6 km climb to 6.1 % - Category 4

The difficulty of a climb is established by its steepness, length and its position on the course. The easiest climbs are graded 4 while the hardest climbs are graded 1. Then there are the exceptional climbs (such as the Tourmalet) that are so difficult that they are beyond category or hors catégorie in French. In fact, the term “Hors catégorie” has now entered the French language to refer to any exceptional phenomenon. Notable hors catégorie peaks include the Col du Tourmalet, Mont Ventoux, Col du Galibier, the climb to the ski resort of Hautacam, and Alpe d'Huez. Our friend Arc has already climbed two of the hors catégorie mountain tops in the TdF - Mont Ventoux and the Tourmalet.

The 2011 L’Etape will feature eight categorized climbs: three Category 2 climbs, three Category 3 climbs and two Category 4 climbs.

Come this Sunday, while most of us will be enjoying a quiet morning drinking coffee, eating pastries and doing the crossword puzzle, our friend Arc will be on his velo (bike) suffering as he, and 7500 other hardy souls, pedal the hard miles from the lovely town of Issoire to the top of Saint-Flour.

Please keep him in your thoughts and channel all your spare energy to him. When Arc’s leg muscles want to stop moving and he cannot pedal another stroke, he will feel a huge rush of energy coming from all of his friends at Between Homes – your thoughts will be like a tailwind, pushing him to the summit.

Allez Arc, Allez!

NOTES ABOUT THE 2011 L’ETAPE DE TOUR:

For a map of the 2011 L’Etape course click here:

Map 2011 L’Etape de Tour

Elevation (profile) map of the 2011 L’Etape (click to enlarge):

The towns of the 2011 L’Etape de Tour.

Issoire – departure

• 14, 780 inhabitants

• Sub-prefecture of Puy-de-Dôme (63)
Issoire is at the centre of a small community near Clermont-Ferrand, whose architecture and landscape give it a Mediterranean feel, where its rich heritage sits side-by-side with its industrial know-how.

The Saint-Austremoine abbey, one of the largest churches in the southern Auvergne, shows off its bright stonework, its colors and ornamental style, while from the top of the clock tower, a fiftenth-century belfry, visitors are afforded stunning views of the town.

Issoire is also famous for its light aircraft industry thanks to the Wassmer family. The APM-20 Lionceau is manufactured here, for example. Alcan is home to the world’s first aluminium-lithium casting factory, while Issoire is also home to major businesses such as Aubert et Duval, Valéo, Praxy Bourbié and the Moniot group.

On a cultural level, concerts are a regular treat for those living in Issoire, which has welcomed artists such as rap star Abd Al Malik and singer Thomas Fersen. Summer brings with it festivals for folklore and Roman art, night-time markets and a rugby tournament. A protected nature area (the town has been awarded ’three flowers’ for its flower displays and natural environment, and is a candidate to be awarded a fourth), Issoire prides itself on being a warm and welcoming town to all.

Saint-Flour – arrival

• 7, 300 inhabitants

• Sub-prefecture of Cantal (15)

The capital of the Haute-Auvergne, Saint-Flour is a lively city served by the A75 motorway. It is unique in that it split between two levels: the upper city on the volcanic plateau of Planèze at 900 metres, and the lower city down in the Ander valley. Known as an area of history and art, Saint-Flour boasts a rich heritage, and is home to the fifteenth-century Saint Peter’s cathedral and the Halle aux bleds – a fourteenth-century Gothic church, which has recently been renovated so as to show off its wooden archways, its volcanic rock sculptures and its bright colours once more. Nicknamed ’The Windy City’ by the poet Camille Gandilhon Gens d’Armes, Saint-Flour plays host all-year-round to a number of festivals.

The Festival des Hautes Terres celebrates mountain culture, while la Festa del Païs brings together the world of agriculture. Then there’s the Chemin d’Art Contemporain, when works of art are displayed around the town, and the Dit d’Alleuze festival – a night-time spectacle in the heart of the Gorges de la Truyère.

THE GUESS WHO - A "LITTLE" BAND FROM CANADA

2011-06-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Writing about the start of summer and summer music got me to thinking about some of the classic rock groups from the 60’s and 70’s. My Dad had a rather eclectic taste in music. He was as comfortable listening to classical compositions from Brahms and Bach as he was grooving to the rhythms of Motown’s The Supremes and The Temptations. Consequently, I grew up in a home where one moment we were listening to Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” and the next we were listening to Ravel’s “Bolero.”

One of my Dad’s favorite rock groups was a band from Canada. The Guess Who scored big in the late 60’s and early 70’s with hits such as “American Woman,” “No Time,” and “These Eyes.” I never cared much for “American Woman” (not too crazy about the song’s message) but I just loved “These Eyes.”

So now that summer is on its way, enjoy these tunes from a band from the “Great Frozen Tundra” aka Canada.

Vati, danke für den Musikvati!

THE GUESS WHO – No Time (Beginning of the song is a tad “psychodelic” but it does get better!)

THE GUESS WHO – Share the Land

THE GUESS WHO – American Woman

THE GUESS WHO – These Eyes

SUMMER IS HERE!!!!

2011-06-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Summer is finally here! Summer in the Northern Hemisphere will officially arrive on Tuesday at 1:16 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). At the same time, winter officially begins for the Southern Hemisphere.

At that moment, the sun will reach the point where it is farthest north of the celestial equator. To be more precise, when the summer solstice occurs, the sun will appear to be shining directly overhead at a point on the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23.5 degrees north) in the Great Bahama Bank, roughly halfway between Andros Island and central Cuba.

In pre-historic times, summer was a joyous time of the year for people who lived in the Northern latitudes. The snow had disappeared; the ground had thawed out; warm temperatures had returned; flowers were blooming; leaves had returned to the deciduous trees. Food was easier to find and the crops had already been planted and would be harvested in the months to come.

For modern man, the return of summer has a different significance than it had for our ancestors. All around the world, people celebrate summer time and the return of warm weather: trips to the beach, going surfing, attending baseball games (or for you Euro-types, going to football matches), picnics and family vacations. For bike fanatics (like me), summer time means more hours of sun light to go on longer bike rides. And let’s not forget, that “little” bike race held in France every July: the Tour de France (or TdF as the cognoscenti call it).

So enjoy the fantastic weather, put away your heavy winter clothes and get your daily dose of Vitamin D by exposing some skin to the Sun’s warm rays (of course, don’t forget to wear a good sunscreen).

Of course, summer time is not always all fun and games for everyone, as this cartoon, sent to me by Bird Thor, illustrates. (Thanks Bird!)

For me though, music and summertime are inextricably linked. I can still remember long summer nights, sitting on the swing my Dad had hung from one of the branches of the old oak tree that took center stage in our backyard, reading Jules Verne’ novels by the light of a flashlight, and listening to music.

One of my all-time favorite summer songs is SUMMER BREEZE, by the group Seals and Crofts. “Summer Breeze” came out in 1972-the same year I was born. The first time I heard it, I just fell in love with it. Since that time, I have learned to appreciate this song’s beautifully simple lyrics and lilting melody.

So, for your listening pleasure, and in remembrance of those long-ago carefree days of summer, here is Seals and Crofts, “Summer Breeze.”

Enjoy!

SEALS & CROFTS – Summer Breeze

SEALS & CROFTS – Summer Breeze (with lyrics)

IN MEMORIAM

2011-05-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Last night, May 18, I participated in our local
Ride of Silence.

The event is held each year, during Bike Awareness month, to honor the memory of our brothers and sisters who have been killed or injured while riding a biking out on the road. This was my first year participating in the event. I am not normally given to public displays of emotion, but I must confess that I was moved to tears listening to the various speakers talk about losing friends or loved ones.

There was a large turnout for the ride. The riders took up an entire city block, riding the full width of a traffic lane. In memory of our fallen comrades, we all wore black armbands and rode in silence, without speaking a word; the only sound that could be heard was the whirring of our wheels rolling on the pavement and the click-click of our bike gears shifting. We were hundreds of individual riders silently riding for 12 miles as one single entity unified by our sadness over the loss of friends and loved ones.

It was a very sobering experience.

Riding a bike is fun, it is healthy and it is environmentally friendly. Riding a bike, however, should not become a death sentence. Unfortunately, too many of my fellow bike riders fall victim to aggressive, drunk, inattentive, or simply careless drivers. Last year, over 600 bike riders were killed in the United States.

This carnage must stop!

If you are a bike rider, please take precautions for your own safety:

1. Wear a helmet (I know, many of you still think it is uncool to wear a bike helmet, but it is far “uncooler” to suffer a traumatic brain injury that could have been easily prevented by the use of a helmet);
2. Wear bright clothing;
3. Install a rear flashing light on your bike (even if you don’t ride at night);
4. Install a front light (if you ride at night);
5. Always be aware of your surroundings while out on the road;
6. Make eye contact with drivers to make sure they are aware of your presence;
7. Learn good bike handling skills; and
8. Last, but not least be sure to obey all traffic rules (we have the same rights as other vehicles on the road but we also have the same obligations).

If you are a driver, please drive safely:

1. Watch out for bike riders;
2. Be courteous to bike riders, we are going a little slower than you are, but please be patient because the few extra seconds that you spend allowing a bike rider to make a safe turn may make the difference between life and death;
3. Do not drive while intoxicated (Do I REALLY have to mention this? Really?);
4. Do not drive distracted, that means no cell phone calls, no text messages, no surfing the web from your Smartphone, no wolfing down a BicMac and no drinking lattes while you are driving (For years, German cars did not come equipped with the now ubiquitous cup-holders fancied in the USA. German engineers, who know a thing or two about car safety always believed that a driver’s total attention should be focused on the task of driving and that anything that affected his attention, such as eating and drinking while driving was a dangerous distraction…Amen! to that);
5. If you should happen to hit a bike rider, immediately stop, render aid, call 9-1-1 and wait for the authorities to show up. Hitting a bIke rider may be just an “accident” but running away from the scene of an accident constitutes a “hit-and-run” which, depending upon the circumstances may turn into a felony criminal matter. So stop, render aid and let your auto insurance company sort things out.

Have fun, be safe, enjoy!

For more information and photo coverage of the May 18 Ride of Silence please go here:

May 18, 2011 Conejo Valley Ride of Silence

A BITTERSWEET ANNIVERSARY

2011-04-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Exactly two years ago, on April 28, 2009, I wrote an article titled Between Homes and the Kindness of Strangers. The article was written to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the creation of Between Homes (BH). The article, however, was much more than an anniversary piece. I wanted to thank all avies (and the real persons behind each of those avies) who helped create BH; their support, guidance and encouragement were invaluable – without their continuing help there would be no BH today.

This coming Sunday, May 1, will mark the third-year anniversary of BH. As it was true back in the early days, it is still true today – BH still relies on the kindness of others to continue providing a safe place for newbies and other homeless avies.

I wish to thank all of you for your help and, most importantly, for your friendship. I would not have kept up BH for as long as I have if were not for you and what each of you brings to “the plate.” I especially wish to thank those of you who help me pay for BH with your contributions of land or money to BH’s tipjar.

Merci beacoup to M. Arcabulle Odriscoll. M. Odriscoll is my SL French teacher and bike riding coach. He is getting me ready not only to one day ride L'Etape de Tour but also to be able to speak like a native Parisian once I get there. M. Odriscoll, or Arc as he is known to his friends, was one of the earliest supporter of BH, helping to recruit new people to join our group. His new job assignment (in RL) keeps Arc from spending as much time in-world as he used to spend; nevertheless Arc continues to be an important supporter of our group.

Very special “GRACIAS” go to Teressa “baby Tess” Adamski. Tess and her family help me run BH. Tess is always there for me, fixing problems as they come up, helping new residents set up home, being my eyes and ears when I am not in-world and keeping BH’s bunny population well-fed and happy.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge two very special people, whose absences from BH (and SL) make this anniversary date a bittersweet occasion. As you probably know, Yucca Gemini was BH’s the primary architect. She was responsible for creating the majority of the buildings in BH, she was also responsible for most of the beautiful landscape that graces the grounds. Yucca was (and I suppose still is) a good friend; almost a year she unexpectedly left SL. I am not sure when, or if, she will eventually return - I am hoping that she will return someday ‘cuz I really miss her.

Another avie who is also MIA is Gloeing Ember, or as I affectionately called him, “Moose.” I last saw Moose in May of last year. My first meeting with Glo, his contributions to BH and his role in my life are amply detailed throughout this blog - just do a search for Gloeing Ember, Glo, or Moose and you will see. His absence from BH has left a huge, gaping hole in my heart. Like Yucca, I do not know when, of if, Glo will ever return to SL and BH. It is true what they say, that “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” because everyday that goes by I miss him more.

This song from Jackson Browne, a singer we both enjoyed very much, is dedicated to my sweet Moose.

SKY BLUE AND BLACK – Jackson Browne (Video)

SKY BLUE AND BLACK (Lyrics)

In the calling out to one another
Of the lovers up and down the strand
In the sound of the waves and the cries
Of the seagulls circling the sand
In the fragments of the songs
Carried down the wind from some radio
In the murmuring of the city in the distance
Ominous and low

I hear the sound of the world where we played
And the far too simple beauty
Of the promises we made

If you ever need holding
Call my name, I’ll be there
If you ever need holding
And no holding back, I’ll see you through
Sky blue and black

Where the touch of the lover ends
And the soul of the friend begins
There’s a need to be separate and a need to be one
And a struggle neither wins
Where you gave me the world I was in
And a place I could make a stand
I could never see how you doubted me
When I’d let go of your hand

Yeah, and I was much younger then
And I must have thought that I would know
If things were going to end

And the heavens were rolling
Like a wheel on a track
And our sky was unfolding
And it’ll never fold back
Sky blue and black

And I’d have fought the world for you
If I thought that you wanted me to
Or put aside what was true or untrue
If I’d known that’s what you needed
What you needed me to do

But the moment has passed by me now
To have put away my pride
And just come through for you somehow

If you ever need holding
Call my name, I’ll be there
If you ever need holding
And no holding back, I’ll see you through

You’re the color of the sky
Reflected in each store-front window pane
You’re the whispering and the sighing
Of my tires in the rain

You’re the hidden cost and the thing that’s lost
In everything I do
Yeah and I’ll never stop looking for you
In the sunlight and the shadows
And the faces on the avenue

That’s the way love is
That’s the way love is
That’s the way love is
Sky blue and black

REDEMPTION ON TWO WHEELS

2011-04-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

When people, myself included, talk about bike riding they often talk about the pleasures of charging hard up a steep hill, or they talk about the joys of spending a few hours moving from Point A to Point B in a human-powered vehicle; they may even talk about the incalculable health benefits of pedaling for hours on end under clear skies. Few people, however, ever speak of, or even think about, the redemptive power of riding a bike.

Two recent stories, from countries separated by “the pond” (aka the Atlantic Ocean), illustrate the enormous power of the bike to help heal wounds and, to some degree, lead people on the road to redemption.

Dougie Dalzell was a lieutenant in the British Army, assigned to the Coldstream Guards. On February 18, 2010, the day of his 27th birthday, Lt. Dalzell lost his life while commanding 2 Platoon in 1 Company, 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards during Operation Moshtarak in Babaji, Afghanistan. Dougie died as a result of an IED explosion in the Babaji area of Nahr-e-Saraj in central Helmand. At the time of his death, Lt. Dalzell was leading an operation to clear insurgents so that a checkpoint could be built and a road laid through the area. These developments have brought enduring security and freedom of movement to the local Afghan people.

Unlike us Americans, our English cousins tend to be a slightly reticent when it comes to celebrating home grown heroes. But if there ever was a man deserving of being called “Britain’s best” Lt. Dalzell certainly was it.

A graduate from the University of Leeds law school, Mr. Dalzell decided that life as a barrister was not for him - not just yet anyway – so he joined the British Army. On November 26, 2009, while leading a patrol in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, one of his platoon members was wounded by a Taliban bomb. Not thinking of his own safety, Lt. Dalzell undertook heroic measures to save his fallen comrade. Because of his actions on the field, Lt. Dalzell was awarded the British Army Military Cross.

The citation for Lt. Dalzell’s MC states,

“His leadership under such extreme pressure and his indomitable courage in the face of the enemy successfully brought the whole patrol away safely…This unique young officer demonstrated repeated acts of conspicuous gallantry under file and selfless commitment to his soldiers and his duty.”

Now jump forward several months later and meet Emily Brooke. Emily Brooke, from Farleigh Hungerford, met platoon commander Dougie Dalzell in 2009, when they were both on holiday in Devon. The 24-year-old student said she admired his dedication to the job and they fell instantly in love.

Since the time of Lt. Dalzell’s death Emily has devoted her time to his memory. It was while thinking of a way to honor his memory that she decided to embark on a bicycle ride from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise money for his memorial fund.

She will take on the challenge in September alongside Dougie's sister Olivia, who lives in his home town of Newbury.

Emily said: "He was a very positive, incredible and perfect man and this is exactly how he would have wanted us to behave. I am really excited to have a positive focus.

"His men were so important to him and he cared about them so much.

"They absolutely adored him as well and they were his number one concern at all times.

"He would be incredibly proud of us."

Emily said that the ride gave her something to focus on. "It is something to talk about and a positive thing to do. We want to raise money to help other people going through the same thing."

She said she had barely ridden a bike before but had been training hard. Emily’s father, Major (retd.) Hugo Brooke, is an avid cyclist and he helped Emily train for the 900 mile journey.

"We are doing it properly,” Emily said, “We are building up 100 miles each month and we have all our Lycra gear ready."

On September 19, 2010, Emily, and Dougie’s sister, Olivia, completed their cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats, cycling a distance of 910 miles in 13 days.

All money raised by Emily and Olivia during their 900 mile bike ride will go to the Lt. Dougie Dalzell Memorial Trust. The Memorial Trust (Registered Charity Number 1140415) supports soldiers who give so much for their country.

Life will certainly never be the same for Emily without her beloved Dougie. But in riding a bike in his memory, Emily may not only have found a way to help others, but she may have also found a glimmer of hope at the end of her cycling journey.

To read more about the Lt. Dougie Dalzell Memorial Trust go here:

Lt. DOUGIE DALZELL TRUST

To see pictures of Emily and Olivia’s journey go here:

EMILY’s RIDE

Now for a different story - about a man who lost his beloved son and then embarked on a cross-country bike trip trying to find light in a dark world.

Eric Okerblom was Dr. Bob Okerblom's son. According to Dr. Okerblom, “By any measure, 19 year old Eric Okerblom was a remarkable man. While still in high school he had already developed as an artist and a musician, earned seven varsity letters, and was a National Merit Finalist. In a single weekend he both ran the LA Marathon (without training) and presented his original research at a youth scientific symposium. He dabbled in beekeeping, was intrigued by carnivorous plants, loved mountains, enjoyed photography, and rocketed on a snowboard. Eric was wise, gentle, sensitive, and genuine; a quiet leader who was voted ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ by his senior class. Despite all of his gifts, Eric was humble and grateful. Eric was the rare, enlightened person you would want for a friend.”

On July 25, 2009, the life of this promising young man was cut short. On that July morning, Eric was riding his bike on a country road near his home in Santa Maria, California when he was struck and killed by a distracted teenage driver. An investigation into the cause of the collision revealed that the driver of the car had been texting immediately prior to the collision. At the time of his death Eric was studying molecular biology at UC Berkeley.

Dr. Okerblom writes on his web page, “This beautiful life was extinguished and our family and community diminished entirely from unnecessary driver distraction.”

To honor his son’s memory, and to shine a much needed light into the deadly risk caused by drivers distracted by cell phone usage and texting, Dr. Okerblom embarked on a solo cross-country bike ride from California to Florida.

On Day 54, the last day of his trip, Dr. Okerblom wrote:

“I started this journey alone in a lonely place, traveling unescorted through the circles of Hell. This memorial ride was not only a tribute to the glorious man I was blessed to call my son, but also a desperate attempt to sustain my sanity. I hoped to restore meaning and harmony to my life. During the two months of cycling, I have tested my physical limits, experienced much introspection, searched for the presence of my God, advocated for mindful driving, and embraced both friends and strangers.”

“I have shared my story innumerable times, and some modicum of good has resulted. But I bleed each time I relive Eric's senseless, mindless killing. The compassion of both strangers and friends has fortified me, I am grateful for the warmth of the human family, which reminds me to be cognizant and appreciative of the many blessings I have in my life. Clearly, I am not alone.”

“But I conclude this travel unrestored. My God has remained silent and elusive.”
…

“Some injuries heal completely without residual or scar. Others heal without residual, but leave a disfiguring scar as a reminder. A few injuries aren't fatal, but linger and smolder,never to resolve completely. One must learn to live with them and not to be dominated by them. My challenge is to learn the live with this injury, but not become the injury.”

“Last night Eric appeared to me in a dream. Smiling, he ran up to me and then past me, neither responding to my entreaties nor looking back. He was happy and carefree. As Eric moved forward, so must I. I must strive to be a person with the compassion, acceptance, actions, and character that my children would be proud to call their father. I lack both the resilience and fortitude for the task, but cannot concede the struggle.”

To read more about Dr. Okerblom’s efforts to eliminate the growing threat distracted drivers go to: ERIC OKERBLOM FOUNDATION.

To read more about the doctor’s trek across America and his spiritual journey in search of meaning for his loss, go here: BOB’s BLOG,

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOVE HIM

2011-04-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Late last night I was watching television when I came across a showing of the movie version of Jesus Christ – Super Star the rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The opera, as well as the movie, depicts the last six days of Jesus’ life, beginning with the preparation for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem, and ending with the crucifixion.

One of Jesus’ disciples was Mary Magdalene. She has been often portrayed as a repentant prostitute whose sins are forgiven by Jesus. Recently, however, historians have begun to take a different look at Mary, recognizing the importance of her role among Jesus’ followers.

One of the key scenes in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” is when Mary comes upon a sleeping Jesus. Covering him with a blanket, she sings a love song to him. The song, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” became an instant hit.

The song, written by a man, is nevertheless a deeply moving account of the emotions in a woman’s heart as she feels the first stirrings of love – when it finally dawns on her that she is being inexorably drawn to something to something beyond her power to resist.

Enjoy!

“I Don’t Know How to Love Him” - (From the movie version of “Jesus Christ Superstar”)

“I Don’t Know How to Love Him” - (Live performance)

“I Don’t Know How to Love Him” - (Lyrics)

I don't know how to love him
What to do, how to move him
I've been changed, yes really changed
In these past few days
When I've seen myself
I seem like someone else

I don't know how to take this
I don't see why he moves me
He's a man
He's just a man
And I've had so many
Men before
In very many ways
He's just one more

Should I bring him down
Should I scream and shout
Should I speak of love
Let my feelings out?
I never thought I'd come to this
What's it all about?

Don't you think it's rather funny
I should be in this position?
I'm the one
Who's always been
So calm so cool
No lover's fool
Running every show
He scares me so

I never thought I'd come to this
What's it all about?

Yet
If he said he loved me
I'd be lost
I'd be frightened
I couldn't cope
Just couldn't cope
I'd turn my head
I'd back away
I wouldn't want to know
He scares me so
I want him so
I love him so…

THE 2011 RIDE OF SILENCE

2011-04-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Riding a bike is my passion. I ride because it is fun; I ride because I am competitive; I ride because it helps me relieve stress; I ride because I love the feel of my legs pedaling me from point A to point B and then back to point A; I ride because riding means freedom.

I love everything about riding a bike. I love the mechanically supreme simplicity of the bike; I love the pain that I feel on my legs as I climb a tough hill; I love the feeling of elation as I descend the other side of the same hill; I love the sweat pouring down my back when I sprint; I love the wind blowing on my face; I love the sweet smell of orange blossoms that greet me as I ride by an orchard; I love the sight of the rolling hills that surround my home; I love the waves crashiing right below me when I ride down PCH.

When English mountaineer George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, he famously replied:

“Because it’s there.”

Ask any cyclist why he rides and invariably you will get a similarly succinct answer:

“Because it’s fun.”

As much as I love to ride my bike, however, I am not unmindful of the dangers that all bike riders face as we share the road with 2-ton steel vehicles. Every year, in the United States alone, more than 600 cyclists are either injured or killed by careless or inattentive drivers.

In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed. Since that time, The Ride of Silence has become an international event.

This year, on May 18, 2011 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways.

The Ride of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There are no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured.

In Thousand Oaks, riders from the local bicycle club (the Conejo Valley Cyclists) will join cyclists across the world in honoring the memory of our fallen comrades.

I love riding my bike – on May 18, I will ride for all those other riders who cannot longer enjoy the pleasures of cycling.

God bless them!

For more information about The Ride of Silence, go here:

Ride of Silence

For more information about the CVC 2011 Ride of Silence, go here:

Conejo Valley Cyclists 2011 Ride of Silence

To read more about the Ghost Bikes project, go here:

Ghost Bikes

JAPANESE RISK RADIATION EXPOSURE TO RESCUE STRANDED DOGS

2011-04-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Preeminent German philosopher Immanuel Kant, author of Critique of Pure Reason, wrote: "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." Writing more than 200 years later, Mohandas Gandhi, India’s political and ideological leader during India’s independence movement wrote: “The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals."

I was reminded of the writings of these two great men, who lived in two very different parts of the world during two distinct historical periods, by a story that appeared in newspapers around the world. The story was about a courageous group of Japanese people who risked exposure to radiation, and possible injury or death, to save a pack of dogs stranded by the earthquake and tsunami that recently devastated Japan.

Etsumi Ogino is a 56-year-old volunteer at an animal shelter in Chiba prefecture. While reading the local newspaper Ogino saw a news photo of a pack of shelties wandering through an abandoned town near Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear plant. When she saw the pictures, Ogino immediately thought of her own 13-year-old dog, Kein. "My heart trembled," said Ogino, “they looked just like my dog. I started searching for them right away."

She and others around Japan called Asahi.com, the website of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, which had run the photo. An Associated Press photographer had snapped that photo and others of the dogs on an empty street in Minami Soma city, an area evacuated because of radiation fears. A couple of days later , the AP gave Ogino details of where the dogs were spotted. Ogino then relayed the information to a team of animal rescuers called Sheltie Rescue. By then, the group had been getting emails from dog lovers around the country about the abandoned pack.

Through emails and Internet research it was established that the owner of the dogs was a breeder in Minami Soma. The group contacted the Fukushima city branch of the Japan Collie Club, tracked the owner down by phone at a shelter and got her go-ahead to rescue the dogs.

Early Sunday morning, seven volunteers left Tokyo and drove over broken roads and past demolished houses to meet three other volunteers in the ghost town that Minami Soma has become. Some had prepared radiation suits and others wore simple vinyl raincoats.

The first two to arrive found the pack around the Odaka train station, near the owner's home, where the AP team had last seen them. "They were waiting for their owner," said Tamiko Nakamura, a volunteer who went with the group from Tokyo.

It took a while to entice them with snacks, and six or seven were bundled into each car. The group saved 20 dogs in all.

Most were taken to a veterinary clinic in Kanagawa prefecture just west of Tokyo. Others are being cared for by individuals in other areas.

The owner, worn down by the disaster and worrying about her dogs, was "extremely happy," Nakamura said. She said the owner did not want her identity revealed.

Nakamura only regrets that some of the dogs in the pack ran away and countless others are still stranded in the evacuation zone.

"There are still some left behind," she said. "I'm concerned about them and want to pull them out."

In these days, when newspapers headlines and the evening news programs are filled with horrific stories about man’s cruelty to his fellow men, it is reassuring to read that there are still men and women willing to risk it all to protect the lives of helpless creatures.

Editor's Note: As some of you may have noticed, I wrote my last previous post on February 4, 2011. At that time I wrote that I was getting over a pretty severe bout of bronchitis. Well, recovery took a lot longer than I had anticipated. I spent most of February and a big chunk of March, feeling pretty darned sick. I am happy to report that I have made a full recovery and I am back writing. Thanks to all of you who contacted me inquiring about my health and wishing me a speedy recovery.

It is good to be back!!!

FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC

2011-02-04T19:25:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

As some of you may know, I have been fighting off a severe bout of bronchitis. I rarely, ever get sick, so being cooped-up at home is a strange experience for me. Worse, is being forced to stay away from my beloved bike and not go out for a long, hard ride. Ten times yesterday I went to my garage to look at my bikes and reassure them that soon we would be out on the road.

The one good thing about being sick (the silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud) is that the "forced" rest period has allowed me to catch up on my recreational reading. I've even had the chance to work on some poetry that I had started long ago, but never quite finished (look for them in future blog posts). Finally, the enforced hiatus has allowed me to dive into my iPod playlist and listen to some of my favorite songs. The funny thing is that when you have no pressing business at hand, and you listen to music just for the cheer pleasure of listening you hear things in a song that you had never heard before--or maybe you heard them but you were in such a hurry to get elsewhere that you never really paid attention. These then, are the songs that filled my otherwise "boring" day of rest:

JOHN WAITE - I AIN'T MISSING YOU

THE CARS - DRIVE

This song was brought to my attention courtesy of BH resident Matt56 Meredith--Thanks Matt!

PHIL COLLINS - AGAINST ALL ODDS

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BIKE - WHY I (WE) RIDE

2011-02-01T05:21:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Those who know me know about my passion for cycling. They know all the miles that I accumulate pedaling up and down the hills near my home, they have seen the many photographs that I have taken while riding down the Southern California coast and they have read how I spend hours in the garage tending to my “herd” of bikes.

It is easy for me to explain the “it” of bike riding. What is harder, a lot harder, for me to do is to explain the “why” of cycling. After all, how can you convey to a non-cycling friend the joy of trading the warmth and comfort of my bed for a 50-mile ride in the wind and rain? How can you adequately explain pain’s liberating effect after spending 6 or 8 hours on the saddle? How can you communicate the sheer exhilaration of knowing that you can travel from Point A to Point B on this wonderful, human-powered machine called “a bicycle?”

Words simply cannot explain what it feels like to force your heart and mind and sinew to keep turning the pedals long after there is nothing more left in you except that little voice in your head telling you not to quit.

In the BBC documentary aptly titled, “It’s All About the Bike,” (based on the book by the same title) long-time British rider, author and filmmaker Robert Penn, travels across two continents as he searches for components to build his perfect, dream bike. Along the way, Penn shares with the audience his love for the bike, which Penn calls the “most perfect machine” ever devised by man.

Long-time BH resident xxPhantomxx Swordthain sent me a link to the BBC production of “It’s All About the Bike.” Due to YouTube file size limits, the hour-long program has been broken into six segments, each approximately 10 minutes long--please be sure to watch all six parts.

After you watch “It’s All About the Bike” you will then perhaps begin to understand the seeds of my passion for my trusty “steeds.”

Thank you Swordthain for the link.

It’s All About the Bike

IS THERE NO END TO MAN'S CRUELTY TO ANIMALS? MASSIVE KILLING OF SLED DOGS IN CANADA

2011-01-31T21:09:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Is there no end to man’s cruelty to animals? The following report (from a story that appeared on today’s Vancouver Sun) is sickening in its own right. That it happened in Canada, a country that I have grown to love, makes it doubly painful to read.

(This story is particularly gory in its details. Caution is advised.)

Police are investigating the slaughter of 100 husky dogs used during the 2010 Winter Olympics to pull tourist sleds in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, authorities said Monday.

The grisly killings were reportedly carried out by one worker over two days in April 2010 with a shotgun and a knife, with reports of injured dogs crawling out of a mass grave.

Local media said the dogs were killed because business slumped in the two months following the Games and they were no longer needed by tourism companies Outdoor Adventures and Howling Dogs, which sell dog-sled rides to tourists.

The man responsible for the "execution-style" cull of 100 sled dogs that were no longer of use to the Whistler-based company "due to a slow winter" season had known a lot of the dogs. He is so traumatized by the slaughter that he now suffers from nightmares, panic attacks and depression, according to a confidential workers ‘ compensation review decision obtained by the Vancouver Sun.

The unidentified man said he had raised many of the 300 dogs owned by his employer, in fact, naming many of them. But over a two-day period in late April 2010, he agree to carry out the orders from his employer to euthanize some of them because part of his job duties "included herd control."

The BC SPCA is launching an investigation of the cull.

In the document, the man thought he had put down 30 per cent of the company's herd — approximately 70 animals — but the employer’s report of injury to the animals, filed with the review board in May, stated it had actually been 100 dogs.

The information became known after the employee filed for workers’ compensation after developing post-traumatic stress disorder for allegedly being forced to kill the dogs — potentially after bookings slumped following the 2010 Olympic Games.

A veterinarian had been contacted but refused to participate in the cull of healthy animals.

The report also stated the man tasked with the job tried to adopt out the dogs but with limited success.

"In the past, his practice when euthanizing a dog was to take it for a walk in the woods and give them a nice meat meal to distract them. That would make for a calm environment and kept the dogs away from the general population so as not to disrupt them. He would use a gun to euthanize the dogs," the report states.

However, because of the large number of dogs, he said he was forced to euthanize the dogs in full view of the other animals. By about the 15th dog, it appeared to him "the dogs were experiencing anxiety and stress from observing the euthanasia of other members of the pack and were panicking."

As a result of the panic, a dog named Susie was only wounded by the employee.

"Susie was the mother of his family's pet dog 'Bumble.' He had to chase Suzie through the yard because the horrific noise she made when wounded caused him to drop the leash,” the report states. “Although she had the left side of her cheek blown off . . . he was unable to catch her. He then obtained a gun with a scope and used it to shoot her when she settled down close to another group of dogs."

It also states when he went to get the dog, he was bitten in the arm. After disposing of Suzie's body, he returned and noticed another dog — named Poker — that was special to him and not slated to be euthanized had been accidentally shot.

"Poker was covered in blood from a neck wound and covered in his own feces. He believed Poker suffered for approximately 15 minutes before he could be put down," the report states.

The employee had put down about 55 dogs on April 21, and by the end of the day, the dogs were so panicked they were biting him and he had to wrap his arms in foam to prevent injury.

"He also had to perform what he described as ‘execution-style’ killings where he wrestled the dogs to the ground and stood on them with one foot to shoot them. The last few kills were ‘multiple-shot’ killings as he was simply unable to get a clean shot,” the report says. “He described a guttural sound he had never heard before from the dogs and fear in their eyes."

But the killings on April 23 were described as "worse" than two days earlier because the herd's fear and anxiety began almost immediately.

On that day, the first significant killing happened to a dog named Nora, who he had shot 20 minutes earlier and put into the mass grave. He noticed her crawling around amid the 10 or so bodies already there so had to climb down into the grave and "put her out of her misery."

At that point, the reports states he "wanted nothing more than to stop the 'nightmare,' but he continued because he had been given a job to finish and did not want to prolong the suffering and anxiety of the whole kennel population. He stated that he felt 'numb.'"

His last memory of killing the final 15 dogs was "fuzzy" and in some cases he felt it was simpler to "get behind the dogs and slit their throats and let them bleed out."

The report states he was “covered” in blood by the end.

"When he finished he cleared up the mess, filled in the mass grave and tried to bury the memories as deeply as he could."

Five days after the final culling, he sought treatment from a clinical counsellor who indicated he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

His family physician also indicated the worker — who resides at the same location as the dogs with his family — complained of "panic attacks, nightmares, sleep disturbances, anger, irritability and depressed mood since culling approximately 100 dogs."

Marcie Moriarty, head of the BC SPCA cruelty-investigations division, said the man, the general manager of Outdoor Adventures at the time, could have simply said no.

"I've no doubt he has suffered post-traumatic stress but there's a thing called choice. I absolutely would not have done this and he could have said no,” she said. “This is a criminal-code offense and to have just stopped. I don't feel sorry for this guy for one minute.”

Moriarty said the SPCA began investigating the culling this weekend after CKNW radio provided her with a heavily censored WCB report.

WCB spokeswoman Donna Freeman said she cannot confirm a claim has been filed by any party because it would be "considered private because they're medical files."

Moriarty said while RCMP have been contacted about the culling, the BC SPCA are the lead investigators and will be executing warrants to obtain further information.

They plan to uncover the mass grave to examine the dogs' remains but can't do that immediately because the ground is frozen under several feet of snow.

In a statement, Outdoor Adventures spokesman Graham Aldcroft said there are no firearms on site and any time a sled dog is euthanized in the future, it will be done in a vet's office. "While we were aware of the relocation and euthanization of dogs at ‘Howling Dog Tours,’ we were completely unaware of the details of the incident until reading the WCB document Sunday," he said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The maximum penalty in Canada for injuring or endangering an animal is five years in jail, while animal cruelty is punishable by a fine and 18 months in jail.

IS YELLOWSTONE PARK ABOUT TO BLOW UP?

2011-01-25T18:40:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Much has been written lately about “supervolcanoes.” A supervolcano is a Volcano capable of producing a volcanic eruption with ejecta (particles that come out of a volcano’s vent, travels through the air or under water, and falls back on the ground surface or on the ocean floor) greater than 240 cubic miles (1,000 cubic kilometers). This is thousands of times larger than most historic volcanic eruptions.

Supervolcanoes can occur when magma in the Earth rises into the crust from a hotspot but is unable to break through the crust. Pressure builds in a large and growing magma pool until the crust is unable to contain the pressure. They can also form at convergent plate boundaries and continental hotspot locations.

There are currently six known supervolcanoes: the Yellowstone, Long Valley, and Valles Caldera in the United States; Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia; Taupo Volcano, North Island, New Zealand; and Aira Caldera, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. Although there are only a handful of Quaternary supervolcanoes, supervolcanic eruptions typically cover huge areas with lava and volcanic ash and cause a long-lasting change to weather (such as the triggering of a small ice age) sufficient to threaten the extinction of species.

Due to its location in Yellowstone Park, the Yellowstone supervolcano has attracted a lot of attention. Between Homes members Buccaneer Braveheart and Xanadu Dominquez have both pointed to me that we are all living atop a ticking time bomb—when it finally goes, much of civilization as we now know it will be wiped out.

I am not much of a fan of doomsday scenarios (why worry about something that: (a) we have no control over and (b) may happen today, tomorrow or not until a million years from now). Still, there is sufficient interest on this subject that I thought I would bring to you this write-up on the Yellowstone Supervolcano.

Enjoy (sort of).

Underground Yellowstone ‘Supervolcano’ Causing Earth to Rise in Some Spots

By Brett Michael Dykes

(Reprinted from Yahoo News)

It's like something one of those disaster movie trailers with a basso profundo voiceover: Man, or perhaps woman, on a family vacation takes in the breathtaking scope of nature found in Yellowstone National Park--only to see the earth beneath their feet violently explode. Will our hero and his or her family be swallowed in the molten horror of -- "Supervolcano"?

But this scenario isn't the stuff of Hollywood fantasy--scientists caution that there's a chance that Yellowstone could blow. One day, anyway.

Yes, there apparently exists an underground volcano whose past eruptions -- the last one estimated at some 640,000 years ago -- have been, according to National Geographic, "a thousand times more powerful than Mount St. Helens's 1980 eruption." The supervolcano lurks a few miles underground and spreads out across an area roughly the size of Los Angeles. But here's the best part: It's taking deep "breaths," as the magazine puts it, causing miles of ground around it to rise dramatically. Since 2004, researchers say that the ground above the supervolcano rose as much as 2.8 inches per year.

So is the "swelling magma reservoir" ready to blow? Well, scientists say it will eventually--and when it does it could spew ash as high as 25 miles into the air, rendering an estimated two-thirds of the country inhabitable. Remember, it was a massive volcanic eruption that some scientists think wiped out the dinosaurs. And here we thought that Icelandic volcano last year was a major calamity.

Yellowstone Park - National Geographic video

JORDAN RICE - AUSTRALIAN HERO

2011-01-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

As you all probably know by now, devastating floods have washed over large portions of Australia, covering the land in a muddy, brown sea. It is estimated that the flood waters now cover an area of Australia as large as the combined size of Germany and France.

The northeastern Australian state of Queensland remains burdened by deadly floods that have affected hundreds of thousands of residents in the past several days.
A tropical cyclone and heavy rainfall around Christmas inundated numerous river basins, affecting 200,000 people across a large area of Australia.

The Earth-observing Terra satellite, managed by NASA for an international consortium, photographed the swollen Fitzroy, Mackenzie, Comet and Dawson rivers in Queensland on December 31. At Rockhampton, a city on the Fitzroy with more than 60,000 residents, military aircraft are bringing in supplies after road closures cut the city off from the rest of the state.

Out of all of this devastation and human suffering, a tale of true heroism has emerged.

Jordan Rice, a 13-year-old Australian boy, has emerged as a tragic-heroic figure in news accounts of the disastrous Australian floods, after he asked a rescuer to save his little brother, Blake, before himself. Jordan Rice and his mother, Donna, were swept away by floodwaters and drowned before rescuer Warren McErlean could return for Jordan and his mother.

Jordan's father, John Tyson, told the Toowoomba Chronicle Jordan could not swim and was terrified of water.

"I can only imagine what was going on inside to give up his life to save his brother, even though he was petrified of water," he said. "He is our little hero."

Tyson told the paper his longtime partner, Donna Rice, was driving with two of her young sons in tire-level water when her engine stopped. She called for help and the three of them got on the roof of the car as the floodwaters rose quickly. Bystanders were not offering help until McErlean tied a rope around himself and went after them.

A wave of water was coming fast when McErlean reached them with the rope. "Save my brother first," Jordan said, according to McErlean.

Jordan and his mother were swept away and drowned--only 10-year-old Blake survived.

In this era of psychopathic killers and fake heroes, young Jordan Rice has emerged as a symbol of all that is good and kind and noble in the human race. By sacrificing his life so that his young brother could live, Jordan Rice has become a true modern hero.

Thank you and God Bless young Mr. Rice.

If you wish to help our Aussie brothers and sisters as they deal with the flood waters, please go here:

Australian Flood Relief

Or go here and see what my fellow bike riders are doing to help the Australian flood victims. Go cyclists!

CyclistsGet Ready to Help Australian Flood Victims

A SPANISH STYLE SUNSET - MALAGUEÑA

2011-01-08T00:41:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

This evening, on the drive home from work, I decided to take the “long” way. While driving home I was rewarded to the sight of a typical, beautiful Southern California sunset. The fiery red sun, making its final descent into the blue Pacific, somehow reminded me of the colors of the Spanish flag.

Watching the setting sun put me in the mood for Spanish music. The song “Malagueña” was originally the sixth movement of the Suite Andalucia by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona.

Enjoy!

MALAGUEÑA – (Piano version by composer Ernesto Lecuona)

MALAGUEÑA – (Guitar version by Jose Feliciano)

MALAGUEÑA – (Guitar version by Charo)

HAPPY (BELATED) NEW 20111

2011-01-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

For my first post of the year I want to share this song with you. A friend sent me the Youtube link to the song and after I finished listening (to both versions) there were tears coming down my cheeks. (I know, I am such a sentimental wuss).

Enjoy!

STING - Fields of Gold

EVA CASSIDY - Fields of Gold

Fields of Gold (lyrics)

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

So she took her love for to gaze awhile
Among the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
As you lie in fields of gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD: CANADA

2010-12-23T06:42:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Canadians share more than just a border with the United States. Many of the holiday traditions, including Christmas, are similar to those celebrated by people in the U.S.

For example, the Christmas tree is a popular decoration found in many Canadian and American homes. The Christmas tree, of course, is actually a German Christmas tradition. Advent wreaths and Christmas wreaths adorn many American and Canadian homes during the holidays. Nativity scenes are also popular décor for Canadian as well as American Christians.

Because Canada is a large and cosmopolitan country made up of many ethnic and cultural groups, Christmas traditions are quite diverse and cannot be generalized. Christmas in Canada has an interesting history. Canada was first claimed by England in the 1400's, later in the 1600's a French explorer by the name of Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City, and Canada became a country with two distinctive backgrounds living as one.

For the French Canadians, Christmas Eve is the highlight of the holidays; they will spend days preparing for the reveillon, the evening meal. (See my article about French Christmas traditions.) French Canadians decorate a Christmas tree and place the crèche, a Nativity scene, under the tree before going to midnight mass. After Midnight Mass, they come home from church to a feast of la tourtiere, a meat pie and various other dishes. Topping off the meal was the Yule log, a chocolate cake in the shape of a log to symbolize the birch log burned in the fireplace on reveillon before the French came to Canada. During reveillon, French Canadian children open small gifts from their stockings, they save the big gifts for New Year's Day. Christmas day for the French was a day for relaxation and for children to play and have fun.

For the English Canadians, Christmas focuses on Christmas Day. Gifts are exchanged in the morning. After the presents are exchanged, many English Canadians go off to church, when they return from church they sit down to a big dinner usually consisting of roast goose or beef and plum pudding. One fun tradition enjoyed by the English Canadians is the “kissing ball.” The kissing ball is a ring of evergreen boughs with candles, apples and nuts hung in doorway. The ball is supposed to celebrate the return of the light following the winter solstice; young men, however, used this opportunity to steal a kiss from any single lady standing under the ball, hence the name of kissing ball.

German Canadians have the Tannenbaum (Christmas tree) in the place of honor in their homes. The children await the Christkindl, a messenger from the Christ child while their mothers bake Christmas cookies and Stollen. The Stollen, is a traditional German fruitcake usually eaten during the Christmas season. The Stollen is shaped like a regular loaf of bread and it is powdered with icing sugar on the outside. It is usually made with yeast, butter, water, flour, zest, raisins, and almonds. The most famous Stollen is the Dresdner Stollen, sold at the local Christmas market.
Christmas trees, ancient carols, gingerbread houses, and advent calendars are part of the traditions of the German Canadians.

In Newfoundland, Christmas is celebrated with wide hospitality and generosity, food and drinks are consumed in a large quantities. Brews of beer are prepared in advance before the Christmas season starts. During the holidays women make lots of cookies and fruit cakes, open jars of preserved moose, jams and vegetables. In rural areas a cow or a pig is usually slaughtered in order to feed numerous visitors. Christmas Day families visit relatives, friends and neighbors.

Mumming is a unique Newfoundland cultural tradition. Dressing usually in torn dresses, bettered hats, hip boots and other obsolete or strange materials men try to appear as women and women dress up as men. Mummers also have to cover their faces so that others would not recognize them.

In late evening mummers move from one house to another in small groups. They enter houses without knocking or invitation; they behave quite loud, moving fast around the house half-dancing (the mummers walk). Frequently mummers bring musical instruments with them so they may start playing music and dance with the hosts or with each other. While making jokes about the family they speak in a manner that the hosts would not guess who are they.

When households identify who is the Mummer, he should “strip” - removing his/her mask. If the hosts cannot guess who is behind the mask they may try to remove it by “force.” If the person behind the mask was not identified he usually leaves without accepting food or drink. Once identified the Mummer removes the mask and return to his normal behavior.

The various Canadians of Indian heritage have a different set of the Christmas traditions, including gift-giving, feasts, singing, dancing, drumming and games (which were part of their ancient winter celebrations). The Cree children visit the homes of their relatives to collect their gifts. The Inuit hold feasts of caribou, seal, raw fish, and turkey.

One Canadian Christmas tradition that really illustrates the close familiar ties that exist between Canada and the US is the story of the Boston Christmas tree.

The Boston Christmas Tree tradition is a relatively “young” tradition; it started over ninety years ago with the Halifax Explosion. On December 6, 1917, two ships collided in the harbor and caused a large explosion that was heard over heard over 62 miles (100 km) away. The explosion and the tidal wave that followed, destroyed over 325 acres of the north end of the city, killing over 1900 people, and injuring over 9000 more. In response to this devastation, the people of Boston sent help in the form of doctors, nurses, food and supplies. As a token of appreciation, Canadians send a special Christmas tree to Boston every year. (In a similar fashion, the Queen of the Netherlands every year sends a pot of tulips to the Canadian people as a token of appreciation for the role that Canadian troops played in freeing Holland from Nazi occupation.)

Christmas is a time for tradition and goodwill toward others. The story of the people of Boston helping others in their time of need, even though it was not actually Christmas, still exhibits the true spirit of Christmas. Because of the kindness of strangers, a celebration between two cities in two separate, but spiritually close, countries has become a cherished holiday tradition.

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY....

2010-12-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

This is definitely not the way things are supposed to be in Southern California. Most of us who live in the region chose Southern California for, among other things, the postcard-perfect weather. Just watch the Rose Bowl Game (played every year on New Year’s Day). While the rest of the nation huddles for cover, Southern Californians attend the game dressed in shorts, Hawaiian shirts and Ray-Ban sunglasses.

Legions of newcomers have come to California, and especially Southern California, to enjoy the beach weather and bask in our endless sunshine. Sure, we can tolerate the occasional rain, but only in small doses. The massive winter storm that has been pummeling the region for the past several days has left many Southern Californian, myself, included, looking up to the sky and wondering, “is it time to start building the ark?”

Now, after nearly a week of relentless rain, Southern California is facing the most intense storm system yet, with hundreds of homes evacuated, roads covered with water and mud, and residents anxiously eyeing already saturated mountainsides denuded by wildfires.

Forecasters expected heavy rain to eventually move into Arizona, Utah and Nevada. For now, however, the focus of their attention is clearly on Southern California, where a monster storm is expected to bring torrential rain, thunderstorms, flooding, hail and possible tornadoes. Officials warned of possible rainfall rates of 0.75 inch to 1 inch an hour and thunderstorm rates of 2 inches an hour in the region.
For more about the storms that have been pounding Southern California, go here:

Storms Batter Southern California

ALBERT HAMMOND – It Never Rains in Southern California (video)

ALBERT HAMMOND – It Never Rains in Southern California (lyrics)

Got on a board a west bound seven forty seven
Didn't think before deciding what to do
All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
Rang true, sure rang true.

Seems it never rain in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya
It pours man it pours.
Out of work, I'm out of my head
Out of self respect I'm out of bread
I'm under loved I'm under fed
I wanna go home
It never rains in California
But girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man it pours.

Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it
Had offers but don't know which one to take
Please don't tell them how you found me
Don't tell them how you found me give me a break
Give me a break

Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya
It pours man it pours
Stay dry my friends!

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD: PERE NOEL - FRANCE

2010-12-22T12:04:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

French Christmas traditions are like the French themselves: an extraordinary and very likeable mixture of culinary excellence and generosity.

France is a big country, so there are quite a few different Christmas traditions observed in the Hexagone (this is a reference to the shape of the French country, go look at it on a map). One thing, however, is certain: the French love Christmas, regardless of whether they are religious or not.

In some regions of France (particularly in the East and the North), the Christmas celebrations start on December 6. This is the day dedicated to Saint-Nicolas, the saint who gave away his fortune to the poor and to children. (Remember my story about the Dutch celebration of Sinterklaas.) St. Nicholas’ memory is celebrated by gift giving: children receive toys and little chocolate statuettes on this day. There are also localized traditions, like the Feast of Light (la Fête de la Lumière) in Lyon, on December 8. The citizens of this beautiful old town all place candles in their windows to honor the Virgin Mother, which creates a magical atmosphere.

Most commonly, though, the French stick to the traditional timetable: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas. In some regions the celebrations go on until La Fête des Rois on the first Sunday of January. This is the French version of Epiphany Day, or the coming of the Three Wise Men, which is the traditional gift-giving holiday in all Catholic countries. On La Fête des Rois children often go round from door to door on this day to sing songs and collect some coins in the process.

Almost all French families decorate their homes at Christmastime with a Nativity scene or crèche with little clay figures called “santons” or “little saints.” In addition to the usual Holy Family, shepherds, and Magi, the artisans who make the santons also produce figures in the form of local dignitaries and characters. The artistry involved in creating the gaily colored santons is quite astounding, the molds used to make the santons have often been passed from generation to generation since the seventeenth century. Throughout December, the figures are sold at annual Christmas fairs in Marseille and Aix.

The Christmas tree has never been particularly popular in France. Instead the French traditionally use a Yule log. In South France, people burn Yule logs continuously from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. Traditionally, a part of this log was used to make the wedge for the plough as good luck omen for a plentiful harvest in the coming year.

La crèche de la Chapelle Saint-Aurélien - Limoges

Although the use of the Yule log has faded, the French still make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the buche de Noel, which means "Christmas Log." The cake, among other traditional foods, is served at the grand feast of the season, which is called le reveillon. Le reveillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal varies according to regional culinary tradition. For example, in Alsace, goose is the main course, in Burgundy it is turkey with chestnuts. Parisians feast upon oysters and pate de foie gras. Le Reveillon may also include poultry, ham, salads, cake, fruit and wine.

French love desserts and French bakeries are famous for their excellent desserts. The "Pain Calendeau", for example, is a gorgeously sweet Christmas loaf with dried fruits in it. Pain Calendeau and the buche de Noel are the traditional French Christmas desserts.

Once the Christmas dinner is over and the family has retired to bed, they leave a fire burning and food and drink on the table in case the Virgin Mary calls in. Like in Spain, French children leave their shoes or wooden clogs (“sabots”) by the fireplace for the le petit Jesus or Pere Noel (the French equivalent of Santa Claus) to fill. In the north of France, children are given gifts on December 6, which is St. Nicholas' Day, instead of Christmas Day. The adults give each others presents on New Year's Day.

Generosity is a big part of the French Christmas tradition. The French give food to the poor (the Pain Calendeau can never be eaten without sharing it with somebody who is down on his or her luck); they also give lots of presents to their children and to each other.

A beautiful French Christmas tradition is that kids who write a letter to Le Pere Noel actually get one back: the French postal services make sure that all the notes are answered.

Joyeux Noël!

Next: Christmas in Canada – the Boston Christmas Tree

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD: LAS POSADAS-MEXICO

2010-12-21T12:02:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Las Posadas is a nine-day Navidad (Christmas) celebration with origins in Spain. Las Posadas are now celebrated mainly in Mexico and Guatemala. Posada is the Spanish word for "lodging", or "accommodation.” It is written in the plural because the celebration spans a period of several nights.

In Mexico, the Christmas holidays begin unofficially with the saint's day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The festivities are in full swing with the beginning of the posadas — celebrated each evening from December 16 to 24. They are, in fact, a novenario — nine days of religious observance based on the nine months that Maria carried Jesus in her womb.

The posadas re-enact Mary and Joseph's cold and difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of shelter or lodging.

Traditionally, a party is held each night in a neighborhood home. At dusk, guests gather outside the house with children dressed as shepherds, angels and sometimes, Mary and Joseph. An angel leads the procession, followed by Mary and Joseph or by guests carrying their images. The adults follow, carrying lighted candles.

Every home has a nativity scene and the hosts of the Posada act as the innkeepers. The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (peregrinos). The "pilgrims" sing a traditional song asking for shelter, and the hosts sing a reply. All the pilgrims carry small, lit candles in their hands. Four people carry small statues of Joseph leading a donkey, on which Mary is riding.

The head of the procession will have a candle inside a paper lamp shade. At each house, the resident responds by refusing lodging until finally the weary travelers reach the designated site for the party, where Mary and Joseph are finally recognized and allowed to enter. Once the "innkeepers" let them in, the guests come into the home and kneel around the Nativity scene to pray (typically, the Rosary). The “innkeepers” offer the “peregrinos” and their guests hot cider, fried rosette cookies known as buñuelos, steaming hot tamales and other festive foods.

The party ends with a piñata in the shape of the Christmas star. Inside the piñata, there are cnadies, fruit and other goodies for the children.

The last posada, held on December 24, is followed by midnight mass, a tradition that lives on in countless Mexican towns and cities.

Many Latin-American countries continue to celebrate this holiday with very few changes to the tradition. In some places, the final location may be a church instead of a home. Individuals may actually play the various parts of Mary (María) and Joseph with the expectant mother riding a real donkey (burro), with attendants such as angels and shepherds acquired along the way, or the pilgrims may carry images of the holy personages instead. At the end of the long journey, there will be Christmas carols (villancicos).

LAS POSADA VIDEO

LAS POSADAS (WITH ENGLISH EXPLANATION)

Feliz Navidad!

NATIONAL HOMELESS PERSONS MEMORIAL DAY - 2010

2010-12-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Tuesday, December 21, is National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. The National Coalition for the Homeless has chosen December 21, the longest night of the year, to commemorate the lives of all the persons who have died on the street while homeless.

As we remember those whose lives ended on the streets of our cities, it is important to ask ourselves: WHO ARE THE HOMELESS AMONGST US?

Below is a snapshot of the homeless population in the U.S.A. The picture is not very different in other, industrialized Western nations.

AGE:

In 2003, children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless population; 42% of these children were under the age of five (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004). This same study found that unaccompanied minors comprised 5% of the urban homeless population. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, in 2004, 25% of homeless were ages 25 to 34; the same study found percentages of homeless persons aged 55 to 64 at 6%.

GENDER:

Most studies show that single homeless adults are more likely to be male than female. Figures indicate that 67.5% of the single homeless population is male. The numbers for homeless households with children, however, are reversed. A 2007 survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that of the population surveyed, 35% of the homeless people who are members of households with children are male while 65% of these people are females

FAMILIES:

The number of homeless families with children has significantly increased over the past decade. Families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. In its 2007 survey of 23 American cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that families with children comprised 23% of the homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007).

As the number of families experiencing homelessness rises and the number of affordable housing units shrinks, families are subject to much longer stays in the shelter system. For instance, in the mid-1990s in New York, families stayed in a shelter an average of five months before moving on to permanent housing. Today, the average stay is 5.7 months, and some surveys say the average is closer to a year (U. S. Conference of Mayors, 2007 and Santos, 2002).

VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

Battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. In a study of 777 homeless parents (the majority of whom were mothers) in ten U.S. cities, 22% said they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence. A 2003 survey of 100 homeless mothers in 10 locations around the country found that 25% of the women had been physically abused in the last year. In addition, 50% of the 24 cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005).

Abuse (sexual, physical or both) is the leading cause of homelessness among young people. Young people who face abuse at home are more likely to run away and to eventually end up homeless. Once they end up on the streets, young people are more likely to end up being victimized by drug dealers and pimps, thus further perpetuating the cycle of abuse and making it harder for the homeless young to escape their situation.

VETERANS:

Research indicates that 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34% of the general adult population. In 2005, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey of 24 American cities found that 11% of the homeless population were veterans (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). The 24 cities providing this information for the survey estimated that 13 percent of persons experiencing homelessness were veterans. Veterans are slightly over-represented among the homeless population compared to their prevalence in the overall population (11.2 percent) (U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008).

PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS:

Persons with severe mental illness represented about 26 percent of all sheltered homeless persons. The 23 cities that provided information reported that 26 percent of their total homeless population (not just those living in shelters) suffered from a serious mental illness. By contrast, only six percent of the U.S. population suffers from a serious mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008).

PERSONS SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION DISORDERS:

Surveys of homeless populations conducted during the 1980s found consistently high rates of addiction, particularly among single men. Recent studies, however, have called the results of those studies into question. While there is no generally accepted "magic number" with respect to the prevalence of addiction disorders among homeless adults, the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ number in 2005 was 30%, and the frequently cited figure of about 65% is probably at least double the real rate for current addiction disorders among all single adults who are homeless in a year. Among surveyed homeless people 38% have an alcohol problem, and 26% report problems with other drugs (National Health Care for the Homeless Council).
EMPLOYMENT

Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers: in every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent. In fact, in the median state a minimum-wage worker would have to work 89 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at 30% of his or her income, which is the federal definition of affordable housing (National Low Income Housing Coalition 2001). Thus, inadequate income leaves many people homeless. The U.S. Conference of Mayors' 2005 survey of 24 American cities found that 13% of the urban homeless population were employed (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005), though recent surveys by the U.S. Conference of Mayors have reported as high as 25%. In a number of cities not surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors - as well as in many states - the percentage is even higher (National Coalition for the Homeless, 1997).

When asked to identify the three main causes of hunger in their city, 83 percent of cities cited poverty, 74 percent cited unemployment and 57 percent cited the high cost of housing. (U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008).

With no end in sight to the current national unemployment rate of around 10%, the number of homeless in our society will increase, or at least remain at its current levels. If predictions of a permanent unemployment rate of around 14% turn out to be true, there will be a marked increased in the number of the homeless men, women and children in our country.

Thus, the time to take action is now. Contrary to what some would like us to believe, homelessness is not an intractable problem. What is required is for our governments to take courageous and creative steps to stop the problem.

Maybe if we all act now, some day (I hope soon) I will no longer have to report about the homeless. Wouldn’t that be the best Christmas present ever!

On Tuesday, December 21, please take a moment to honor those who have died homeless in the past 12 months. Say a silent prayer for their souls’ safe passage into the next world.

They found Dixon Albert in the Ventura River bed.

Chronic liver and kidney disease destroyed the homeless man’s body, but when his friends found him on a cold morning, Albert’s heart was still beating.

After a call to 911, an ambulance took Albert to the hospital.

Those who knew him held out hope. But it was too late.

He died five days later. He was 43.

“He was my strength,” said Albert’s brother, David, who is also homeless. “We were homeless since we were kids. He was my best friend.”

To read more about Dixon Albert and others like him who died this year please go here:

Service Honors Local Homeless Who Have Died in 2010

To read more about the National Homeless Persons Memorial Day, please go here:

National Homeless Persons Memorial Day

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD: SINTERKLAAS—A DUTCH TRADITION

2010-12-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Sinterklaas is a traditional winter holiday figure in the Netherlands and Belgium. In Holland, he is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' Eve (December 5). In Belgium, he is celebrated on the morning of December 6.

Originally, the Sinterklaas feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas. Sinterklaas is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus in Canada and the United States.

Saint Nicholas was a Greek bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. Saint Nicholas’ fame spread throughout Europe until eventually the Catholic Church made his name day a Church holiday. It is not exactly known how this kindly 4th century bishop made his way from Asia Minor through Italy, Spain and eventually to all of Northern Europe. Today St. Nicholas is honored as the patron saint not only of children and unwed maidens, but of sailors and the City of Amsterdam as well.

In the north of France, Saint Nicolas became the patron saint of school children. In early traditions, students elected one of their fellow students as "bishop.” He would then rule from St. Nicholas Day until December 28 (Innocents Day). The students sometimes acted out events from the bishop's life. As the festival moved to city streets, it became more lively.

Sinterklaas, however, is mainly associated with the city of Amsterdam. Association with Amsterdam goes back to the time of the Inquisition, which had spread to Holland in the Middle Ages. Rumor had it that there was a Nicholas who was Bishop of the Cathedral in Amsterdam. When the swarthy Spaniards came from Spain to trade with the Dutch, they gave passage to adults and children alike whose lives were threatened by the Inquisition against the Jews in Spain.

Traditionally, Sinterklaas is assisted by many mischievous helpers with black faces and colorful Moorish dresses. These helpers are called 'Zwarte Pieten' (Black Petes). During the Middle-ages Zwarte Piet was a name for the devil. Having triumphed over evil, it was said that on Saint Nicholas eve the devil was shackled and made his slave. Although the character of Black Pete later came to acquire racial connotations, his origins were in the devil figure.

The Sinterklaas feast was both an occasion to help the poor, by putting money in their shoes (which evolved into putting presents in children's shoes) and a wild feast, similar to Carnival, that often led to costumes, a "topsy-turvy" overturning of daily roles, and mass public revelries.

After the Protestant Reformation, England and Germany prohibited celebration of the saint. When the Netherlands became a largely Protestant country, following the Reformation, the government abolished most public celebrations. The Dutch people, including students in Amsterdam, protested. The government eventually relented and it allowed Sinterklaas celebrations within the family.

By the nineteenth century, the saint came out of “hiding” and became more secularized. The modern tradition of Sinterklaas as a children's feast was likely confirmed with the illustrated children's book Sint Nicolaas en zijn knecht (Saint Nicholas and His Servant), written in 1850 by the teacher Jan Schenkman (1806–1863). Some say he introduced the images of Sinterklaas' delivering presents by the chimney, riding over the roofs of houses on a gray horse, and arriving from Spain by steamboat.

In Schenkman's version, the medieval figures of the mock devil, which later changed to Oriental or Moorish helpers, was portrayed for the first time as black African and called Zwarte Piet (Black Peter). He is a black boy who accompanies Sinterklaas and helps him on his rounds (possibly derived from the Dutch colonial experience, or the Moorish occupation of Spain).

During the difficult times of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War 2, Sinterklaas came to cheer everyone, not just children. Many of the traditional Sinterklaas rhymes written during the Nazi occupation referred to current events. For example, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was often celebrated. In 1941 the RAF dropped boxes of candy over the occupied Netherlands. A contemporary poem was the following:

R.A.F. Kapoentje,
Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,
Bij de Moffen gooien,
Maar in Holland strooien!

(Sorry, but I could not find an English translation of this poem, and my Dutch is not very good).

Many of the Sinterklaas poems of this time noted the lack of food and basic necessities due to the Nazi occupation; others expressed admiration for the Dutch Resistance.

The Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas on December 5th, St. Nicholas Eve, with festive family parties when gifts and surprises are exchanged. In the Netherlands, unlike other places, adults as well as children join in the fun. As the Dutch like an element of surprise, a small gift may be wrapped in a huge box, or it may be hidden and require following clues to discover where it is.

Gifts are prettily wrapped in special Sinterklaas paper or they may be hidden in a potato or an old sock. Each gift is anonymously signed "from Sinterklaas." The gift comes with a clever rhyme that may point out a person's shortcomings in a humorous way. (For the less creative, there are books with suggestions for making rhymes and packaging disguises.) Originality, not value of the gift, is what counts.

Children sing traditional Sinterklaas songs while waiting for the saint to appear. A knock comes on the door and a black gloved hand appears to toss candies and inside. Children scramble to gather up the treats. A large burlap bag, "de zak van Sinterklaas," also appears filled with gifts. At the table, decorated with speculaas and other sweets, guests may find their initial in a chocolate letter at their places. Food is apt to include hot chocolate, Bishop's wine, and letter .

The Dutch feast of Saint Nicholas is about giving, for "it is in giving that we receive." The fun is in trying to surprise people, to tease in a well-meaning way, to make a good joke, to produce a rollicking rhyme. The gift itself is just a bonus, as the fun is in the doing.

A 2008 survey by the Center for Dutch Culture found that Sinterklaas is the most important tradition for the Dutch. The second ranked tradition is decorating a Christmas tree, followed by Queen's Day, April 30. Blowing out birthday candles and eating raw herring were also in the top ten. I am not sure that eating raw herring is a Dutch tradition that I want to see move over to America.)

As an interesting footnote to the Sinterklaas tradition, studies with young children (ages 4-7) in the Netherlands show that St. Nicholas encourages positive, sharing behavior: "One may think that traditions like the Dutch Saint Nicholas tradition makes children materialistic, greedy, and less likely to share with others as they are spoiled with gifts and candy. These studies, however, clearly show that children in the Netherlands associate Saint Nicholas with "sharing with others.”

When the early Dutch settlers came to America, they naturally brought with them their venerated old bishop. St. Nicholas and their favorite holiday, Sinterklaas. Indeed, after landing in the New World, the Dutch explorers, led by Henry Hudson, built their first church on the island of Manhattan in 1642, dedicating it to Sinterklaas. When the British took control of New Amsterdam in 1664, they adopted the Dutch recognition of Sinterklaas and merged it with their own observance of the Winter Solstice, Father Christmas—the merry, roly-poly, Falstaffian figure in high boots. Eventually, these two old gentlemen commemorated in December, merged into one.

Over the next few generations, Sinterklaas found his way into American literature. In 1809, writer Washington Irving created a jolly Sinterklaas for his popular Knickerbockers Tales. In 1822, an Episcopal priest named Clement Moore wrote a lighthearted poem called "A Visit from St. Nicholas" which featured a jolly old elf, his descent down a chimney on Christmas Eve, and a sleigh drawn by eight tiny reindeer (Odin's flying horse!) The Father Christmas image stuck, but he acquired a Dutch name—Santa Claus—a direct derivation from Sinterklaas.

Sinterklaas is a wonderful tradition that has survived through the centuries. The story of the kindly 4th century bishop connects us to our shared past, moving us to the present and on to the future.

Next: Las Posadas—Mexico’s wonderful Christmas tradition.

THE FACE OF THE HOMELESS

2010-12-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Between Homes (BH) was created to provide a place to stay for homeless avatars. The idea of a “homeless” SL avatar may strike some as a tad odd; after all how can a virtual person be truly homeless in a virtual world. SecondLife mimics the real world in many significant ways. As in RL, homeless SL avatars are left to wander around the virtual world, with no place to change clothes, rezz their personal belongings or just hang around for a few quiet moments. Of course, in SL we always have the option of login out and returning to our real lives. The homeless in RL have no such option—they simply can’t log out of their current situation.

Even though BH was created to provide a place for homeless avatars, there is a lot more to BH’s mission than simply providing a place for pixels without a home. At BH we are committed to spreading information about the plight of the homeless and to advocate on behalf of those who have no advocates: the countless men, women and children who do not have a permanent place to call home.

Homelessness is (and will remain for the near future) the Number One human rights issue facing our society. No other issue is as important or as far-reaching as the problem of homelessness. Global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer do not matter a damn to a child living out on the streets, with no roof over his head, no pillow under is head and no food in his belly. In the United States, the richest and most powerful country in the world, in any given year as many as 3.5 million people experience homelessness (that is 1% of the entire U.S. population or 10% of its poor).

Worldwide: North – South from Canada to Argentina and East – West from Australia to Russia millions of people, including women, the elderly and children do not have a place to call home, have no shelter from the cold and rain, and have no food to eat. It is the single, biggest shame of our era that at a time when we can communicate at the speed of light thanks to the miracle of our Internet-wired world we still have not figured out a way to shelter and feed all of our brothers and sisters.

We are in the midst of the holiday season. The sight of brightly decorated streets and the smells of delicious holiday treats permeate our senses. It is typical during this time of the year to be especially warmhearted toward those who less fortunate than we are are. Once the holidays are over and the goodwill has run out, however, we go back to looking the other way while ignoring the plight of the homeless.

I encourage each one of you not to let the good cheer and spirit of the holidays expire on New Year’s Day. Instead, let’s us all work towards making 2011 the year when we finally begin to take real steps to solve the problem of the homeless population. We may not be able to eradicate homelessness. We cannot, however, allow the magnitude of the problem distract us from our mission.

In the meantime, please remember that the homeless are not very different from us. Even a small act of kindness--a warm smile or a few words of encouragement—can go a long way towards making a homeless person’s day a bit more bearable. Remember that often times it is the little things that matter the most.

To read more about the lives of three homeless persons in Ventura County, my home “town,” please click the link below.

The Face of Homelessness-Ventura County’s Forgotten Share Their Stories

Happy and Blessed Holidays to you all from the staff at Between Homes!

PHIL COLLINS – Another Day in Paradise (video)

PHIL COLLINS – Another Day in Paradise (lyrics)

She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"

He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh think twice, it's another day for
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it's just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she's been crying
She's got blisters on the soles of her feet
Can't walk but she's trying

Oh think twice...

Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say

You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that she's been there
Probably been moved on from every place
'Cos she didn't fit in there

Oh think twice, it's another day for
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it's just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

Oh think twice….

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD: SCANDINAVIA

2010-12-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

To help welcome the upcoming Christmas holidays, I will post articles about Christmas celebrations in different parts of the world. My friend Bird Thor sent me the following link, "Christmas in Scandinavia," so we will start in Scandinavia.

Thank you Bird!

Christmas is celebrated throughout Scandinavia on the evening of December 24th. It is widely regarded as the most sacred holiday where families and relatives meet in their homes and celebrate. Besides the customary Christmas tree and presents under it, it is the traditional Julbord that is at the center of attention for most Scandinavians. A delicious home made protein rich feast that takes several days to prepare and has its roots in the Norse celebration of midvinterblot.

In Sweden, Christmas begins with the Saint Lucia day. The Saint Lucia ceremony takes place on December 13. Did you know that Swedish Christmas home decorations include red tulips? Christmas Eve is known as Julafton in Swedish. After the festive Christmas Eve dinner, someone dresses up as Tomte (Christmas gnome) who is believed to live under floorboards.

Photo copyright Ventura County Star. All rights fully reserved by copyright owner.

Be careful! In Denmark, the mischievous Danish elf Nisse plays pranks on people during Christmastime. On Christmas Eve, many Danish families leave some rice pudding or porridge for him so that he is nice to them. Children are not allowed to see the Christmas tree until dinner time on Christmas Eve (known as Juleaften) and parents decorate it secretly with home-made baubles.

Norway also has an elf called Nisse, but with the features of a goat (Julebukk in Norwegian.) The idea of Julebukk is a very old one and was probably known by the Vikings. There is a special Norwegian holiday cookie called Sand Kager. In the afternoons, children go from door to door to ask for treats and goodies.

When you spend Christmas in Finland, you will see that Finland shares some of its Scandinavian Christmas traditions with its neighbor Sweden - but then there are Christmas traditions in Finland that you'd never guess! A tip: Finnish sauna, anyone?

Iceland has many old traditions during Christmastime. Expect no fewer than 13 Icelandic Santa Clauses! The origin of these "Santas" is centuries old, and each has its own name, character and role. A special custom for Icelandic children is to put a shoe in the window from December 12 until Christmas Eve. If they have been good, one of Iceland's "Santas" leaves a gift - bad children receive a potato!

To read more about Christmas food traditions in Scandinavia, please go here:

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN SCANDINAVIA

I especially enjoyed reading about all the wonderful foods that Scandinavian families prepare for Christmas.

Next: Holland's Sinterklaas!

THREE LOVE SONGS TO KEEP YOU WARM...

2010-12-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Here are three love songs that are sure to warm your heart in a cold winter’s night.

Go grab your honey, hold her (or him) tight, sway to the music…and never let go.

Enjoy!

JOHNNY RIVERS – Swaying to the Music

RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS – Unchained Melody

THE PLATTERS – Only You

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY - 2010

2010-11-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, a day in which we give thanks for the people, events and “things” in our lives. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving Day is also celebrated in Leiden, in the Netherlands.

In the United States, it falls on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, which is Columbus Day in the United States.

The precise historical origin of the holiday is disputed. Although Americans commonly believe that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, there is strong evidence for earlier celebrations in Canada (1578) and by Spanish explorers in Florida (1565).

The traditional origin of modern Thanksgiving in the United States is generally regarded to be the celebration that occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in Massachusetts, in 1621. The Wampanoag Native Americans helped the pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts cultivate the land and fish, saving them from starvation. This harvest celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original Thirteen Colonies that later were to become the United States. This Thanksgiving was modeled after harvest festivals that were commonplace in Europe at the time.

Many of the Pilgrims who would end up at the Plymouth Plantation resided in the Dutch city of Leiden from 1609–1620.According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of thanksgiving for the relief of the 1574 siege of Leiden.
The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. Frobisher's Thanksgiving celebration was not for harvest, but for homecoming. He had safely returned from a search for the Northwest Passage, avoiding the later fate of Henry Hudson and Sir John Franklin. In the year 1578, Frobisher held a formal ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving the long journey.

French settlers who came to New France (Canada) with explorer Samuel de Champlain in the early 17th century also took to celebrating their successful harvests. They even shared their food with the indigenous peoples of the area as well as setting up what became known as the "Order of Good Cheer."

Regardless of the origins of Thanksgiving Day, this is one of my favorite holidays. It is a time for friends and family to gather and spend time together. It is also a time to give thanks for the many blessings that we enjoy.

This year, as in past years, I have much to give thanks for. I have been blessed in ways that I cannot even begin to understand. There is much that I have to give thanks for. I give thanks for a daughter who is truly the apple of my eye and a treasure beyond compare. I give thanks for my Father; even though he left this world long ago, I feel his presence and his strong, guiding everyday single day of my life. I give thanks for my Mom and I especially give thanks to God who saw her safely during her recent surgery. I give thanks for things big and small; I give thanks for my country and for the brave men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the country that I love, I give thanks for my dog who eagerly awaits for me, with a smile on his sweet face, when I return home for work, I give thanks for my bicycles that carry me far and wide on such wonderful adventures, I give thanks for my friends who are always there to support and encourage me.

I also have much to give thanks for in my SL “life.” It is funny how a “game” has now become such a big part of my life, to the point where when I give thanks for my blessings, I include my many SL blessings.

I have been a resident of SL for over three years. During that time, I have met many wonderful, awesome people; yes, I have met a few “clunkers” but for the most part the overwhelming majority of the people that I have met in SL have enriched my life. There are many special people in SL who have made, and continue to make, a lasting impression on my life. These are people with whom I have shared my moments of joy as well as my moments of sadness; people who have seen me through the good and the bad times; people whom I miss terribly when I come in-world and they are not here.

There is one person, however, that I wish to single out for special thanks. I met Teressa “Tess” Adamski almost three years ago, when she was an “SL baby” and her SL mom, Bird Thor, used to bring her over to my house to play by the beach. In the years since that first meeting, Tess has blossomed into a wonderfully creative person, an invaluable ally, a fierce protector of me and Between Homes and a dear, dear friend.

When I am sad, Tess is quick with a hug or a funny story, to make me feel better. When I am happy, Tess is happy for me. We spend a lot of time talking about all kinds of subjects, including U.S. movie and TV trivia (of which Tess has a HUGE amount of knowledge), vikings, politics, pets, food and even IKEA furniture!

Tess, this Thanksgiving Day when I give thanks for my many blessings, I will especially give thanks for you and for the friendship that you have given me.

Tack sa mycket!

Thank you very much!

I'D REALLY LOVE TO SEE YOU TONIGHT

2010-11-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COOLEY – I’d Really Love to See you Tonight (video)

I’d Really Love to See you Tonight (lyrics)

Hello, yeah, it's been a while.
Not much, how 'bout you?
I'm not sure why I called,
I guess I really just wanted to talk to you.
And I was thinking maybe later on,
We could get together for a while.
It's been such a long time,
And I really do miss your smile.

I'm not talking 'bout moving in,
And I don't want to change your life.
But there's a warm wind blowing the stars around,
And I'd really love to see you tonight.

We could go walking through a windy park,
Or take a drive along the beach.
Or stay at home and watch t.v.
You see, it really doesn't matter much to me.

I'm not talking 'bout moving in,
And I don't want to change your life.
But there's a warm wind blowing the stars around,
And I'd really love to see you tonight.

I won't ask for promises,
So you don't have to lie.
We've both played that game before,
Say I love you, then say goodbye.

I'm not talking 'bout moving in,
And I don't want to change your life.
But there's a warm wind blowing the stars around,
And I'd really love to see you tonight.

ARMISTICE DAY - 2010

2010-11-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, in 1918, men of good will sat around a table, in a railway car, and together signed a peace treaty. The men who met that day in the French town of Compiègne intended that by signing the Armistice to end the First World War, they would forever end all wars.

Sadly, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. A little over 20 years after the signing of the Armistice, German troops led by a man hell-bent on world domination, invaded Poland. Soon after that, German storm troopers spread across Norway, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and France--the word’s bloodiest and costliest armed conflict was well on its way.

Almost a century after the signing of the Armistice to end the war that was supposed to “end all wars,” the carnage of war goes unabated. For all of our pretentions to civility, for all of our accomplishments in the arts, science and philosophy, for all of our claims to biological superiority, we humans are no better than baboons. We continue to send young men and women to fight senseless territorial wars, we continue to lay waste to this beautiful blue planet that is our home and we continue to treat our own brothers and sisters with savage brutality in the name of religion.

On this Armistice Day, I encourage you to find ways to wipe wars from the face of the Earth. Become better educated and hold our so-called leaders accountable for their decisions. Take responsibility for your own actions, become a good steward of our planet and the animal, and plant life in it.

One more thing: if you meet a war veteran or a current soldier, please stop for a moment and thank him and her for their service. Remember that soldiers serve under difficult conditions; whether we agree or disagree with their mission, they are our brothers and sisters and fully deserve our support and appreciation.

Peace out!

REQUIEM FOR A FRIEND

2010-11-09T22:11:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Bulloch

My mom’s recent surgery made me face the prospect of potentially losing my one remaining living parent. The realization that I could lose my last remaining living parent, forced me to embark on a journey of self-discovery. The initial steps were not easy ones, especially when those first steps took me back in time to a part of my life I would have preferred to remain buried and out of mind. The journey is far from over, but I am happy to report that I have already gained valuable insights about myself and about family relations.

No journey of self-discovery, however, is ever complete; there always remains some unfinished business. Today, on the drive home from work an old song came up on the car’s radio. Listening to Dave Mason’s song about a long-lost love (“We Just Disagree”) reminded me that there is still one piece of unfinished business that I have to take care of.

Bur first, a little background.

I joined Second Life on July 2007. Back then, when I took my first, newbie baby steps, I had no way of knowing that more than three years later I would still be coming “in-world.” My initial reason for joining Second Life was simple enough: I was curious about this strange new computer world. Curiosity got the best of me (what is that about “curiosity killed the cat?”) and so here I am, three years later and I still visit SL on a regular basis.

From my very first newbie day, I was astounded at the ease with which I could meet people and build friendships with people from all over the world. From day one, I took each avatar that I met at face value. Like watching characters in a play or a movie, the avatar became the character that I interacted with. I did not stop to think, however, that just like in a movie or a play, each fictional character is actually played by a real-life actor.

Because it is so easy to meet and befriend people in Second Life, it becomes equally easy to forget that behind every single avatar there lives a real life person. Although our avatars are made of thousands of pixels floating somewhere in a Linden Lab server, the person behind the avatar moving on our computer screen is a real life person, made of real life flesh and blood. Every single avatar that populates Second Life’s world is powered by a mind that is capable of real feelings and emotions; inside every virtual SL character, there beats a real heart that can at times be easily hurt.

Early in my SL life, I had my heart broken by someone for whom SL was a game. I wish that my experience had taught me to be a tad more careful with the feelings of the people that I meet in SL. Instead, I ignored Second Life’s cardinal rule that every avatar is in fact a real life person. In the process, I callously hurt a person whose big RL heart I once held in my avatar’s little hands.

This is then my mea culpa for the wrong that I have done. It is my requiem for the friend that I treated so badly. It is a cautionary tale of what happens when we forget that avatars are more than just pixels.

Back in May 2008, while looking for land to build my new home, I met a wonderful person. He was kind, considerate and as gentle as a big Teddy bear. In fact, he was everything that the man who had previously hurt me was not. Even when I was not on my best behaviour, he never got angry with me and never even scolded me. We spent many hours chatting the night away. It was during these chats that I became aware that in spite of his soft-spoken demeanor, this man was also possessed of a keen intellect, who could give me a run for my money in any debate about any subject. Still waters run deep indeed!

As our friendship deepened, I became aware that he was hoping that our SL relationship would eventually lead to something more—a RL meeting or perhaps a RL relationship. From the very first day we met, I was honest with him by letting him know that I did not want to mix RL and SL. The heart, however, wants what the heart wants; I could see that he was falling deeper and deeper for me.

During the course of our conversations, he learned about “the Wall” that to this day surrounds me. He then became genuinely interested in helping me break down “the Wall.” His efforts to make me come out of my self-imposed seclusion, however, met with obstinate refusal on my part. Instead of seeing that all he wanted to do was to help me, I got angry at his efforts and in many occasions, I told him to simply “let me be.”

In retrospect, I should have “let him go” (for his own good). Instead, I let things go on. They say that in the trial of one’s mind, we only call witnesses for the defense. I suppose that that in my "defense" I can make a feeble argument that it was so easy to bask in the warm afterglow of his incredible friendship that I forgot that the avatar in front of me was man with real feelings. I took him and his feelings for granted; in the process I hurt him incredibly so. He generously gave of himself. In return, all I did was to selfishly take and gave nothing in return.

It has been almost five months since I last saw him online. By now, I have given up hope of ever seeing him online again. The last time that I received an e-mail from him, he assured me that there was nothing wrong--I know better. Once again, he is being true to form--polite, caring and not wishing to hurt my feelings in the least bit. He has finally done what I should have done long ago; he has bowed out gracefully to spare himself further pain and frustration. I can’t blame him.

There is a line from one of his favorite movies, “Bladerunner,” that goes something like this: “The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.” His presence was a bright, glowing candle that burned brightly in my SL life—through my own fault, it burned only for a short time.

Dear one, if you are reading this (and I hope you are) please accept my apologies for all the hurt that I have so grievously caused you. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

For the rest of you, please don’t forget that every avatar that you meet in SL is a RL person; treat him or her as you would want to be treated yourself. Don’t make the same mistakes that I’ve made.

DAVE MASON - We Just Disagree

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

2010-11-05T00:30:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

California, the Golden State; the place where dreams of movie stardom come true, the land where big fortunes are made, America’s last frontier. No state in the USA, and perhaps no other place in the planet, holds such fascination and inspires so many dreams as California does.

Even in its current situation: high unemployment, sky soaring taxes, near bankruptcy and a recent election that offered Californians a dismal choice between a washed-out, ex-governor or a billionaire carpetbagger, no matter how insurmountable our problems may seem to the rest of the world, California is STILL the place to be.

Moreover, no other place in the world has inspired so many songs as California has. DO a Google search and you will see that the list of songs about California goes on and on and on.

Here are five very different songs about California, my home state.

Enjoy!

PHANTOM PLANET – California

EAGLES – Hotel California

THE MAMAS AND PAPAS – California Dreaming

THE BEACH BOYS – California Girls

THE 5th DIMENSION – California Soul

MAKING PEACE WITH THE PAST

2010-10-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

My mom recently underwent surgery to remove a cancerous growth. As those of you who follow this blog know, as a young woman I had a troubled relationship with my mom.

Traumatic events, like a medical emergency, have a powerful way to focus our attention on the important things of life. Mom’s recent illness has helped me--and her--to put the events of the past into an entirely different perspective. Resentments that fueled feelings of bitterness that kept mom and I apart, no longer seem to be so important. Instead of wasting precious time living in the past, she and I look forward to a future free of the chains that held us back for so many years.

I am learning not to let past pain and hurt keep me from enjoying this moment in time. I know that making peace with the past will change the rest of my life for the better.

You should try it!

BEATLES – She is Leaving Home

She is Leaving Home (lyrics)

Wednesday morning at five o'clock
as the day begins
Silently closing her bedroom door
Leaving the note that she hoped would say more
She goes downstairs to the kitchen
clutching her handkerchief
Quietly turning the back door key
Stepping outside she is free

She (we gave her most of our lives)
is leaving (sacrificed most of our lives)
home (we gave her everything money could buy)
She's leaving home after living alone for
so many years (bye bye)

Father snores as his wife gets into her dressing gown
Picks up the letter that's lying there
Standing alone at the top of the stairs
She breaks down and cries to her husband
Daddy our baby's gone
Why would she treat us so thoughtlessly
How could she do this to me

She (We never thought of ourselves)
is leaving (never a thought for ourselves)
home (we struggled hard all our lives to get by)
She's leaving home after living alone for
so many years (bye bye)

Friday morning at nine o'clock she is far away
Waiting to keep the appointment she made
Meeting a man from the motor trade

She (what did we do that was wrong)
is having (we didn't know it was wrong)
fun (fun is the one thing that money can't buy)
Something inside that was always denied for
so many years (bye bye)
She's leaving home (bye bye)

HALLOWEEN BALLET

2010-10-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Once again, Between Homes residents Karinna Praga and Teressa "Tess" Adamski starred in another production by Second Life's Little Princess Ballet Academy (LPBA). This year Halloween came early to SL as LPBA staged a production of their Halloween Ballet.

Here are some scenes from the ballet:

(Please click on picture for a LARGER image.)

First row (by the fountain), second from left - Tess Adamski
First row (by the fountain), third from left - Karinna Praga

Top row, with black hat, first from the left - Karinna Praga
Bottom row, second from the left - Tess Adamski

The Halloween ballet was produced, directed and staged by Guy Wardell. He and the entire company did a great job. Bravo! Bravissimo!

If you get a chance, contact Tess, Karinna and Guy and congratulate them for another standout performance!

ARE THE FRENCH LAZY?

2010-10-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

For the last few weeks, the world has watched as French workers, opposed to President Sarkozy’s proposed austerity measures, including the raising of the retirement age from 60 to 62, have taken to the streets in protest. Some of the protests have been rather violent, leaving large sectors of the French population in a state of paralysis.

The widespread strikes, over something as seemingly trivial as raising the retirement age from 60 (already the lowest in the industrialized world) to 62, have caused people in other nations to ask:

Are the French workers lazy? Are the French people strike-happy? Is the French economy going to collapse?

Well, it is now time to debunk the myth of the “lazy” French worker!

Please read below for some general facts about the French economy, French workers and France in general. These facts may surprise you.

Strikes: The world leader in days lost in strikes in 2009 was … Canada. Its score was 2.2 million, according to the UK journal The Economist. Next, came South Africa with 1.5 million. France came third with 1.4 million. France comes top of the European league table for the period 2005-2009, according to the European Foundation for the improvement of Living and Working Conditions. But in 2008 its efforts were dwarfed by Denmark, thanks to a strike wave, one of whose demands was a 35-hour working week. The damage to the economy is not as high as might be expected, judging by statistics from 2005 when a three-week strike cut 0.05 of a point from the growth rate, according to the Finance Ministry.

In typical French fasion, two young lovers kiss on the streets, while riot police look on.

Photo copyrighted by Reuters. All rights reserved by the copyright holder(s). Photo used here only for illustrative purposes only. No commercial use is intended, either explicitedly or impliedly.

Hours worked: French workers work an average of 1,453 hours a year, well below the OECD group of developed nations' average of just over 1,700 hours a year but above Germany and Norway (1,337), Sweden (1316) and the Netherlands (1309). South Koreans work the longest hours in the OECD at 2,390 per year.

Retirement: At present French women can retire at the same age as women in Italy, South Korea, Hungary, the UK, Greece and Poland but earlier than Turks and Czechs. Men have the lowest minimum retirement age in the OECD. The government's proposals will bring them in line with Czechs and Hungarians and raise the age that retirees can claim the full pension to 67, provided they have paid over 40 years of contributions.

GDP: France’s Gross Domestic Product has doubled in the last 20 years. It was over 2000 billion Euros in 2009, according to the IMF and the World Bank. That puts it fifth in the world league table, behind the US, Japan, China and Germany and just ahead of the UK. Over the same period, there has been a 10 per cent shift of the share of GDP from salaries to profits.

Productivity: French workers’ productivity has risen five times since 1960. Although it has fallen slightly over the last two years thanks to the recession, it is expected to double again over the next 20 years. GDP per hour worked is lower than in the US and Ireland but higher than in many countries, including the UK, Germany and Japan.

Debt: France has the sixth highest public deficit in Europe in percentage terms, at 8.2 per cent. The US’s deficit reached 12.5 per cent in 2009. The debt of French households was 89.1 per cent of income in 2006, according to the OECD. In Britain and the United States that ratio stood at 168.5 percent and 139.7 percent respectively.

Unemployment: French unemployment stands at 10 per cent, the average for the Eurozone. As in other industrialized countries, the figure has been pushed up by the recession but was already relatively high at 8.2 per cent in 2001. US unemployment stood at 9.6 per cent in June 2010.

So next time that you may tempted to refer to the French worker as a "lazy slacker" and France as a "lazy" country with a stagnant economy, be sure to refer to the facts listed above.

The Sleeping Beauty Ballet At Second Life

2010-10-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Two of our very own Between Homes residents, Teressa "Tess" Adamski and Karinna Praga recently starred in "The Sleeping Beauty" ballet. The ballet was presented, over a span of four weeks, by the Little Princess Ballet Academy.

Both Tess and Karinna spent long hours in rehearsals, getting ready for their performances. The ballet was directed by prima ballerina Miss Kaysie Knoller. Several BH residents, including Brea Zadark, Xanadu Dominquez and yours truly, attended the ballet.

All the dancers worked very hard and turned out great performances. Please take a minute to congratulate Tess and Karinna on a well done job!

And be sure to also drop Miss Knoller a note and let her know that you appreciate her efforts to bring a measure of entertainment and culture into the SL experience. It is heartwarming to see someone spend so much time and energy to bring quality entertainment to SL residents. Thanks Kaysie!

Kudos all around...bravo, bravissimo!!!

Second Life: The Sleeping Beauty by Little Princess Ballet Academy

THURSDAY NIGHT BIKE RIDE - AGAINST THE WIND

2010-10-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Yesterday I went for a bike ride after work. It was a short ride, only 20 miles. Now that the sun is setting earlier and earlier, the hours of daylight are becoming scarcer by the minute.

We have been having some crazy weather in Southern California. On Monday, temperatures reached in excess of 104 F (40 C) in normally cool Ventura. The on Tuesday, we were treated to one of Nature’s finest shows as thunder and lightning pounded the region on the hours right before sunset.

In the aftermath of Nature’s recent crazy behavior, we have been left with weather conditions that give rise to strong afternoon onshore winds. Yesterday, during my bike ride, the winds were blowing at a steady 10 miles per hour (16 kilometers per hour) with gusts in excess of 15 mph (24 kph).

Riding against a strong headwind is never easy. Like mountain climbing, a steady headwind can zap a rider of energy as she fights to keep the bike moving forward. Normally, riders on a road bike can take advantage of the road bike’s many aerodynamic features, including a smaller profile (to face the wind) and much lighter weight. I, however, was riding my mountain bike. As much as I love my ‘Dale (Cannondale) mountain bike, that beast has to be one of the least aerodynamic two-wheeler in existence. On top of that, my ‘Dale weighs nearly a ton (well I exaggerate a tad here). Whereas my light weight road bike feels like an Italian race car, the ‘Dale feels like a Mack truck.

During the last ten miles (16 km) of the ride, the wind just kept pounding me. To make it harder, it was getting darker as the sun was making its final descent into the Pacific Ocean. To keep me inspired (and moving) I “played” Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind” in my head. Bob’s beautiful voice and haunting lyrics were just the inspiration I need to hammer my way back to my car.

When I finally ended my ride, I was treated to the sights of yet another spectacular sun set. Watching the sun setting against a background of a dark ocean and fiery clouds made me forget all the wind-fighting, sweat and effort that took to finish the ride.

Here, for your listening and viewing pleasure, Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind” and a few images of a California sunset.

Enjoy!

BOB SEGER – Against the Wind

Have a wonderful weekend!

CALIFORNIA SUNSET

2010-09-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Autumn is almost here (September 23rd is officially the first day of Autumn). With Autumn comes cooler temperatures, shorter days and a hint of Winter (yes even here in Southern California we do have a Winter, of sorts).

One of the benefits of riding my bike by the ocean is that I often have the opportunity to witness some rather spectacular sunsets. With the approaching of Autumn, however, the sun now sets rather quickly. The slow, lingering sunsets of Summer are gone—at least until next year.

I took the first photo in the sequence below at 7:03 p.m. By the time that I snapped the last photo, less than three full minutes had elapsed.

Join me now in watching old “Sol” set over my beloved Pacific Ocean.

Enjoy!

THURSDAY NIGHT LOVE SONG

2010-09-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Love songs take many forms, from romantic adult ballads to sirupy teeny-bopper tunes.

The following song, "Taxi," from American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin tells the story of Harry, a cab driver in San Francisco. On a rainy night he picks up a woman, his last fare for the night. Harry finds the woman familiar at first, but she doesn't seem to recognize him until after she looks at him in the rear-view mirror and at his license. It is then revealed that she is Sue, Harry's old lover.

In flashback, Harry remembers how he "used to take her home in [his] car" and also how they "learned about love in the back of a Dodge." Sue had wanted to be an actress, while Harry was going to learn to fly. Their relationship ended when Sue "took off to find the footlights" and Harry "took off to find the sky."

For everyone who has loved and lost, here is Chapin’s “Taxi.”

Enjoy!

HARRY CHAPIN – Taxi (video)

HARRY CHAPIN – Taxi (lyrics)

It was raining hard in 'Frisco,
I needed one more fare to make my night.
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down,
She got in at the light.

Oh, where you going to, my lady blue,
It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain.
She just looked out the window, and said
"Sixteen Parkside Lane."

Something about her was familiar
I could swear I'd seen her face before,
But she said, "I'm sure you're mistaken"
And she didn't say anything more.

It took a while, but she looked in the mirror,
And she glanced at the license for my name.
A smile seemed to come to her slowly,
It was a sad smile, just the same.

And she said, "How are you Harry?"
I said, "How are you Sue?
Through the too many miles
and the too little smiles
I still remember you."

It was somewhere in a fairy tale,
I used to take her home in my car.
We learned about love in the back of the Dodge,
The lesson hadn't gone too far.

You see, she was gonna be an actress,
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off to find the sky.

Oh, I've got something inside me,
To drive a princess blind.
There's a wild man, wizard,
He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind.

Oh, I've got something inside me,
Not what my life's about,
Cause I've been letting my outside tide me,
Over 'till my time, runs out.

Baby's so high that she's skying,
Yes she's flying, afraid to fall.
I'll tell you why baby's crying,
Cause she's dying, aren't we all.

There was not much more for us to talk about,
Whatever we had once was gone.
So I turned my cab into the driveway,
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns.

And she said we must get together,
But I knew it'd never be arranged.
And she handed me twenty dollars,
For a two fifty fare, she said
"Harry, keep the change."

Well another man might have been angry,
And another man might have been hurt,
But another man never would have let her go...
I stashed the bill in my shirt.

And she walked away in silence,
It's strange, how you never know,
But we'd both gotten what we'd asked for,
Such a long, long time ago.

You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off for the sky.

And here, she's acting happy,
Inside her handsome home.
And me, I'm flying in my taxi,
Taking tips, and getting stoned,
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned.

NOTE: Harry Chapin, (December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter best known for his folk rock songs including the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle.” Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work.

GREAT BIKE RIDING FILMS

2010-09-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Serious bike riders are an obsessive bunch. On weekend days, we (and yes, I do include myself in the “obsessive bunch” group) wake up at the crack of dawn, jump on the bike and then head down the road, listening to the sweet music of the bike’s wheels rolling over the pavement as the miles roll by. During the week, we sit in our offices staring out of a window, daydreaming about our next epic ride. When we have some free time, we clean and adjust every gear and component.

Sometimes, we may even sit on the front of the television and we watch movies about bike riding.

PEE WEE’s BIG ADVENTURE

Pee-wee's Big Adventure, the greatest movie ever made about cycling is a wildly creative, idiosyncratic masterpiece. The film tells the story of Pee-wee Herman, a childlike adult who loves his bicycle more than anything else. After his bike is stolen, he must embark on a nation-wide adventure to search for his bike. The movie, which turns 25 in 2010, was directed by Tim Burton, written by Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman and Michael Varho; it starred Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman.

BREAKING AWAY

The story about working-class kids, restless in a small college town, is one of the best cycling films ever made. It is also one of the best films ever made, period! It won the 1980 Academy Award for Best Screenplay and was nominated for four other awards. In 2006, the American Film Institute (AFI) listed Breaking Away as #8 on the List of America's 100 Most Inspiring Movies. In June 2008, AFI announced its "Ten Top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—Breaking Away was acknowledged as the #8 best film in the sports genre.

TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE

The Triplets of Belleville (Les Triplettes de Belleville) is a Canadian/French/British/Belgian 2003 animated surreal adventure film written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. The story focuses on Madame Souza, an elderly woman raising her young grandson, Champion. Souza notices her grandson is sad and lonely so she buys him a puppy named Bruno to cheer him up. Although he was initially happy, he quickly becomes melancholy once again. After discovering that Champion has a keen interest in road bicycle racing, Souza buys Champion a tricycle. Eventually, Champion enters the Tour de France but during the race, he and two other riders are kidnapped by two French mafia henchmen and brought to the bustling metropolis of Belleville, somewhere in North America. The movie is absurdly bizarre (well, what can you expect when you mix Canadian-French-British-Belgian elements and throw them together in one animated film)…it is also a sweet and stunning homage to Fausto Coppi.

(NOTE: Angelo Fausto Coppi was an Italian bike champion, born on September 15, 1919. Coppi was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions. He was an all-round racing cyclist: he excelled in both climbing and time trialing, and was also a great sprinter. He won the Giro d'Italia five times (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953), the Tour de France twice (1949 and 1952), and the World Championship in 1953. Other notable results include winning the Giro di Lombardia five times and the Milan – San Remo three times. Coppi also had wins at Paris–Roubaix and La Flèche Wallonne, where he set the hour record (45.798 km) in 1942.)

AMERICAN FLYERS

Kevin Costner’s enormous moustache is hard to ignore…but Rae-Dawn Chong’s wheel change is the real stunner in this fun story of two brothers who tackle the Hell of the West through the Rockies. Some of the details are ludicrous—the way the Russian bike riders bob and weave as they attack—but as celebration of the 1980s American cycling scene, with appearances by the 7-Eleven Team and the gone-but-missed Coors Classic, it deserves a place as a bicycling movie classic.

THE BICYCLE THIEF

Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di biciclette, also known as The Bicycle Thief) is a 1948 Italian neorealist film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of a poor father and his son searching the streets of Rome for the father’s stolen bicycle, which he needs to be able to work. The movie is a bleak but truthful story of survival; it is also a rebuke to Hollywood’s slickness. The Bicycle Thief ushered in a new era of cinematic realism and is routinely listed as one of the greatest films of all time.

A SUNDAY IN HELL (long version)

If you have ever struggled to explain the consuming passion of bike racing to non-riders, refer them to this film instead. A chronicle of the 1976 Paris-Roubaix race—with riders like Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck and Francesco Moser—it’s a transporting documentary that drops you into the cobblestone dust, soaks you in sweat and idolizes all the suffering in one of the world’s greatest one-day race.

STARS AND WATER CARRIERS

A film about the 1973 Giro d’Italia, directed by Jurgen Leth, who also directed A Sunday in Hell. Leth's commentary is perhaps some of the most passionate and descriptive commentary on cycling to be found anywhere. Failed breakaways are referred to as "a beautiful waste of energy.” Leth is a great film maker not a former cyclist; his time trial commentary is arguably the most insightful and artistic narrative of athlete and machine yet written on bike racing--indeed "Pain is an Icon.”

Now, get off your computers, go get your bike, clean it up and take it for a long spin down the road.

Enjoy!

FRENCH BIKE RACING LEGEND LAURENT FIGNON DIES AT AGE 50

2010-08-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Laurent Fignon, a French bike racing legend died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. Fignon was only 50 years old.

Fignon twice won the Tour de France but was defeated by American rival Greg LeMond in arguably the event's greatest race. The gargantuan battle between Fignon and LeMond in the 1989 Tour de France produced the narrowest winning result in the history of the world's most famous cycling race: 8 seconds.

David Lappartient, president of the French Cycling Federation said that Fignon , “…was a great champion who used a combination of talent and will to win the Tour de France twice." David added that Fignon, “…had an iron will, and was also a very intelligent man."

Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour champion who himself battled cancer, wrote "Allez Laurent!!!" (Let's Go Laurent!!!) on his Twitter feed late Monday -- a sign that he was aware of Fignon's condition.

Born Aug. 12, 1960, the blond, bespectacled Fignon excelled at sports as a child and took up cycling because his friends did -- initially against the wishes of his parents, who disliked the fact that amateur cycling races took place on Sundays, which they considered to be a day for family activities.

Despite his reputation for being well-read and his nickname "The Professor," Fignon dropped out of college. He competed in cycle races while completing his army service.
Fignon won the Tour on his first attempt in 1983 in just his second year as a professional, seizing the opportunity presented by the absence of four-time winner and defending champion Bernard Hinault. He also won in 1984.

In 2006, Fignon opened a hotel complex in the foothills of the Pyrenees as the Centre Laurent Fignon, offering enthusiastic amateur cyclists guided rides up the Col du Tourmalet and other famed Tour de France climbs.

Fignon – The Legend - Part 1 (From a French television documentary shown in the 2007 tour de France)

Fignon – The Legend – Part 2

Historical Note:

The final stage of the 1989 Tour de France was a time-trial. In a time-trial, the bike riders race individually against the clock. In the final stage of the 1989 Tour, the riders had to complete a 25-mile course from Versailles to Paris.

In the closest Tour in history, American Greg LeMond was behind by 50 seconds on the final ride into Paris. In that time trial LeMond put his bike in a huge 55 x 12 gear (that is a 52 tooth front chainring and a 12 tooth rear cog) and rode it 54.545 km/h (34.52 mph), the second fastest time trial ever ridden in the Tour de France. LeMond also used what was, at that time, a new invention: the time-trial (or aerodynamic) handlebars. He made up 58 seconds on Laurent Fignon, ultimately winning the race by 8 seconds. Since 1989, there has not been another individual time trial to finish the Tour de France.

Here is a video clip from the last stage of the 1989 Tour:

1989 TdF final stage

Allez Fignon. Merci infiniment des mémoires merveilleuses!

1980's WEDNESDAY MUSIC

2010-08-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

To ALL the lovers in the world, here are three of my favorite love songs from the 1980’s.

Enjoy!

ASIA – It Was the Heat of the Moment

REO SPEEDWAGON _ I’ll Keep Loving You

BERLIN – Take my Breath Away

SUNDAY NIGHT MUSIC - ELTON JOHN & OTHERS

2010-08-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

ELTON JOHN – Your Song

HEART – Alone

YES – Owner of a Lonely Heart

WEDNESDAY EVENING MUSIC - ELVIS THE KING OF ROCK

2010-08-04T18:37:00.001-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

From the King of Rock, one of his sweetest love songs...

ELVIS PRESLEY – The Wonder of You

(With lyrics)

Another love song...sort of.

ELVIS PRESLEY - Suspicious Mind

And finally...

ELVIS PRESLEY - You Were Always In My Mind

HOMELESS WOMAN FINDS A PLACE TO STAY AFTER 34 YEARS ON THE STREETS

2010-08-03T22:49:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Not every story about the homeless has an unhappy ending. Take for instance, the story of June Don.

For more than three decades, June lived in the streets of Ventura County. Until recently, June was a fixture in the Conejo Valley (Thousand Oaks). She was often seen at her makeshift home at a bus shelter at Lakeview Canyon and Townsgate Road or pushing around a shopping cart filled with her belongings.

An act of kindness by one person, however, turned June’s life around. Enter into the scene Michelle Munyon, a Thousand Oaks resident.

The first two times Michelle drove past the homeless woman sitting on a bench at a Thousand Oaks intersection, her heart went out to the older woman with the distinctive long, blond wig and shopping cart. The third time, Michelle pulled over and invited the woman to lunch at a nearby Carrows Restaurant.

Out of that small kindness, a friendship began. Michelle eventually coaxed June off the bus bench and into an assisted-living facility – after 34 years living on the streets June, who was born in New Orleans, finally had a soft bed to sleep on and a roof over her head.

At a recent event, people gathered to celebrate June’s 74’s birthday. A steady stream of guests came up to wish her a happy birthday and present her with gifts including beauty supplies, toiletries and flowers. June, in her trademark long blond wig and a new dress, greeted them all.

“I feel so blessed, so blessed, to see the community coming and just sharing in this day of love for June,” Michelle said.

Michelle’s friend Sally Tulao, a hairdresser from Sherman Oaks, gave June a dress to wear for her party and helped her with her makeup. “I put the makeup on today and I put the wig on for her and she’s just such a sweet lady and my hat just goes off to her,” Sally said.

“Michelle made a difference in June’s life. It’s like a little ripple and now it’s making a big wave,” Tulao said.

Guests at the party were invited to take part in a silent auction and raffle to raise money for a new non-profit organization set up by Michelle’s son Wes. Wes said The Centurion Center aims to spread what he calls “The Love Revolution” and help others in need in the local community.

Karol Schulkin, homeless services coordinator for Ventura County, said it is that first point of contact — whether it be talking to a homeless person on the streets or at a meal site — that is often the first step toward placing the chronically homeless, many of whom have disabilities, in housing.

“By necessity, a person has to adapt their life to less-than-appropriate circumstances,” Schulkin said. “In doing that, I think over a period of time regular indoor living isn’t attainable for them. It becomes hard for them to even imagine walking into a door. For others, it’s an economic reality.”

The money homeless people scrape together might be used for a meal or a place to stay for a night. But gathering money for a rental deposit on a home or apartment is insurmountable, Schulkin said.

“It’s kind of like tumbling down a cliff,” she said. “You pick up different challenges along the way.”

Mother Theresa once remarked that, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." The story of June and Michelle’s remarkable friendship points out what miracles one person can achieve, just by feeding one person. Their story also points out that people do not need big government to solve their problems – we can do a far better job helping each other out on a one to one basis.

Mother Theresa also said, "At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.' Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection."

Think about it...I challenge you!

ARCABULLE ODRISCOLL CLIMBS COL Du TOURMALET

2010-07-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

On Sunday, July 18, Between Homes’ officer and dear friend of mine, Arcabulle Odriscoll, finished L’Etape du Tour – 2010. As I previously wrote, L’Etape du Tour is an event held every year during the running of the Tour de France. For more details, please click here:

L'Etape du Tour 2010 - Tourmalet

Riders participating in this year’s L’Etape had to battle Tour de France legendary mountains such as Col du Soulor, Col de Marie-Blanque and the famous (and much feared) Col du Tourmalet, the highest road in the central Pyrenees.

I have just received word from Monsieur Odriscoll about his epic bike ride. Here then, in his own words (with a little bit of editing on my part) is M. Odriscoll’s account of his climb to the top of Col du Tourmalet:

Hey hey i am back home! i am back and happy because everyone finished ! we were five to ride and we all finished ! oh my god it was so hard ! the stage of (the) tour de france is very hard like always but this year it was particularly hard ! it was hot very hot and i drank a lot and people along the road proposed to put some water on the body in the neck so i accepted ! i was very wet but it was ok

I put (finished) 10H27 (10 hours and 27 minutes) and finished 5475

The ride was 184 kms (114.33 miles) so very long with three climbs ! in fact it was hard for me in the first climbing and the second one, so Col de Marie-Blanque (the first climb, 1035 meters/3396 feet high) second climb first we walked during about two kilometers because there were so many boys and girls ! 10000 were engaged (riding) ! that is very crazy and more than 3000 foreigners so (from) 49 countries ! Very nice

So in the second climbing (Col du Soulor is 174 meters/4,836 feet high) it was hard too, very hard 13 kilometers and an average (grade) of 7.9%

And in the last climbing, i was better in Tourmalet (Col du Tourmalet 2115 meters/6939 feet high) and i climbed it in 2H32 (2 hours and 32 minutes)! that was the best time compared to my friends ! i was happy

It was hard but thee Pyrenees are so beautiful!

So I am very happy and above all happy that we all finished ! so happy

I am back now home and am watching the tour de france.

Arc, congratulations to you and your teammates on finishing L'Etape - 2010.

Job well done!

2010 L'EtAPE du TOUR - COL du TOURMALET

2010-07-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

For those of you who may have been so caught up with World Cup fever that you may have forgotten that there are other sports here is a reminder: the Tour de France, the most epic bike race in the world is now entering its second week of competition. The race started on Saturday, July 3 in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. After moving through Belgium, the race is now back on French soil.

The Tour de France is full of great traditions, as it befits a cycling event in bike-crazy Europe. One of the Tour’s most cherished traditions is the running of the L’Etape du Tour, literally translated as, “The Stage of the Tour.”

In this annual event, amateur riders from all over the world ride the same stage route that the regular Tour’s competitors ride on. The stage changes every year. Last year, L’Etape took riders up Mt. Ventoux, one of the most feared mountain stages in all of the Tour. Our very own Between Homes resident and dear friend Monsieur Arcabulle Odriscoll climbed to the top of Mt. Ventoux.

For more details about M. Odriscoll’s 2009 ride to the top of Mt. Ventoux, click here:

L’Etape du Tour - 2009

And here (you need to scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see teh results from the 2009 Etape):

Against the Wind

In celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees, this year’s Etape du Tour will feature the same celebratory route as one of the most crucial Pyrenean stages of the Tour de France.

Taking place between Pau and Tourmalet, the 2010 Etape du Tour offers bike riders the opportunity to take part in a mass participation cyclosportive event along the same route that the Tour’s pros will ride just a few days later. Riders participating in this year’s L’Etape will battle Tour de France legendary mountains such as, Col du Soulor, Col de Marie-Blanque (incorporated in the race for the first time in 1978) and the famous Col du Tourmalet, the highest road in the central Pyrenees and the most used of all the mountain passes in the race.

L'Etape du Tour 2010 - Tourmalet

Climbing high, grueling, knee busting and spirit breaking mountain passes has been a Tour tradition since the beginning of the race. The first Tour de France included one mountain pass – the Ballon d'Alsace in the Vosges – but several lesser cols. The first was the col des Echarmeaux, on the opening stage from Paris to Lyon, on what is now the old road from Autun to Lyon. The stage from Lyon to Marseille included the col de la République, also known as the col du Grand Bois, at the edge of St-Etienne. True mountains, however, were not included until the Pyrenees in 1910. In that year the race rode, or more walked, first the col d'Aubisque and then the nearby Tourmalet.

The highest climb ever in the Tour, reaching a total of 2715 meters, was the col de la Bonette in the 2008 Tour de France. The highest mountain finish in the Tour was at the col du Granon in 1986. The 2413-meter pass was reached first by Eduardo Chozas of Spain. Mountains such as the Galibier, Tourmalet, Alpe d'Huez, Madeleine, Ventoux and Aubisque attract amateur cyclists every day in summer to test their fitness on roads used by champions.

The difficulty of a climb is established by its steepness, length and its position on the course. The easiest climbs are graded 4 with the hardest climbs rated as 1. Exceptionally difficult climbs, such as the Tourmalet, are beyond classification, or hors catégorie. Notable hors catégorie peaks include the col du Tourmalet, Mont Ventoux, col du Galibier, the climb to the ski resort of Hautacam, and Alpe d'Huez.

On Sunday, July 18, M. Odriscoll will once again ride in L’Etape du Tour. He will ride, together with other riders from his cycling club, all the way to the top of col du Tourmalet.

As I did last year, I ask all BH residents and friends, to send words of encouragement to M. Arcabulle “Arc” Odriscoll as he once again climbs another “beyond-classification” mountain.

Send Arc your IMs and notecards. Arc will love to hear from you as he heads out on another epic climb.

(Long video – in French)

Good luck Arc!

JULY 14 - BASTILLE DAY

2010-07-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Tomorrow is Bastille Day, the French national holiday celebrated each year on July 14. In France, Bastille Day is formally called La Fête Nationale (National Celebration) or more commonly referred as “le Quatorze Juillet” (the fourteenth of July). Bastille Day commemorates the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.

The attack on the Bastille, a fortress-prison in Paris, is widely seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern French nation and the beginning of the French Revolution. Official festivities are held on the morning of July 14, on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic.

Of course, the French Revolution did not start on July 14. The social, economic, political, philosophical and even environmental factors that gave birth to the French Revolution can be traced to a few years back, before the actual storming of the Bastille.

Economic factors included widespread famine and malnutrition, due to rising bread prices (from a normal 8 sous for a 4-pound loaf to 12 sous by the end of 1789). As discussed in a previous blog post, the Little Ice Age that fell upon most of Europe following the eruption in southern Iceland of the Laki volcanic fissure during an eight-month period from June 1783 to February 1784, led to the destruction of crops and a steep rise in food prices, including bread. (See Iceland’s Volcano Affects All Of Europe) Malnutrition among French citizens increased the likelihood of disease and death and even intentional starvation in the most destitute segments of the population in the months immediately before the Revolution.

(History records that when Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI, was told that starving French peasants could not even afford to buy bread, she infamously replied: “Let them eat cake!” Soon after making that remark, Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were both beheaded, using a new invention called “the guillotine.”)

Another cause of the Revolution was France's near bankruptcy as a result of the many wars fought by Louis XV and in particular the financial strain caused by French participation in the American Revolutionary War. The national debt amounted to almost two billion livres. The social burdens caused by war included the huge war debt, made worse by the monarchy's ineptitude, and the lack of social services for war veterans. The inefficient and antiquated financial system was unable to manage the national debt, something that was both caused and exacerbated by the burden of a grossly inequitable system of taxation.

(If I may be allowed a brief digression at this point, there are two valuable lessons that Americans can learn from the events leading up to the French Revolutio. First, we Americans should be reminded of the immense debt of gratitude that we owe the people of France. I often overhear comments about how “ungrateful” the French people are, especially after we saved their butt during World War II. Well, had the French government not lent their support to a rag tag team of American revolutionaries, America may have never been able to win its independence from the British Empire. Without France’s help, there may not have been an America to go to the rescue of France when France was being overrun by German Panzer units. So before we make dumb remarks about the ungrateful French, let us remember how we needed their help to become the nation that we are today.

The second lesson that we can learn from the events leading up to the French Revolution has to do with the folly of runaway government deficit spending such as the ones now facing the American public. As it was true in the years prior to the French Revolution it is also true now: a nation cannot long survive when its government spends more than it takes. A government cannot shift massive amounts of debt to future generation thus saddling our children and grandchildren with debt that they will never be able to pay. We would do well to look to Canada and borrow a few lessons from its economic model that, according to many financial experts, is now the envy of the industrialized world.

OK, now back to the French Revolution…)

Meanwhile the conspicuous consumption of the noble class, especially the court of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette at Versailles continued despite the financial burden on the populace. High unemployment and high bread prices caused more money to be spent on food and less in other areas of the economy. The Roman Catholic Church, the largest landowner in the country, levied a tax on crops known as the dîme or tithe. While the dîme lessened the severity of the monarchy's tax increases, it worsened the plight of the poorest who faced a daily struggle with malnutrition.

There were also social and political factors, many of which involved the social aspirations given focus by the rise of Enlightenment ideals. These social and political factors included resentment of royal absolutism; resentment by the ambitious middle class (including professional and mercantile classes) towards the privileges and dominance enjoyed by the nobility. Many of France’s professional classes were familiar with the lives of their peers in commercial cities in the Netherlands and Great Britain; they resented the control that the nobility exerted over French life. There was also resentment by peasants, wage-earners, and the bourgeoisie toward the traditional seigniorial privileges possessed by nobles. Finally, there was resentment of clerical advantage (anti-clericalism) and aspirations for freedom of religion. In pre-revolutionary France, the Catholic church wielded undue control and influence on institutions of all aspects of French life.

All of these factors were the precursors to the eventual storming of the Bastille. On May 5, 1789, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General to hear the populace’s grievances. The deputies of the Third Estate representing the common people (the two others were the Catholic Church and nobility) decided to break away and form a National Assembly. On 20 June the deputies of the Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, swearing not to separate until a constitution had been established. They were gradually joined by delegates of the other estates; Louis started to recognize their validity on 27 June. The assembly re-named itself the National Constituent Assembly on 9 July, and began to function as a legislature and to draft a constitution.

In the wake of the July 11 dismissal of Jacques Necker, the people of Paris, fearful that they and their representatives would be attacked by the royal military stormed the Bastille, a fortress-prison. Besides holding a large cache of ammunition and gunpowder, which the revolutionaries needed in order to protect themselves against an attack by royal forces, the Bastille had been known for holding political prisoners whose writings had displeased the royal government, and was thus a symbol of the absolutism of the monarchy.

When the crowd—eventually reinforced by mutinous gardes françaises—proved a fair match for the fort's defenders, Governor de Launay, the commander of the Bastille, capitulated and opened the gates to avoid a mutual massacre. Due to a possible misunderstanding, however, fighting resumed. Ninety-eight attackers and just one defender died in the actual fighting, but in the aftermath, de Launay and seven other defenders were killed, as was the 'prévôt des marchands' (roughly, mayor) Jacques de Flesselles.

On August 4, 1789, shortly after the storming of the Bastille, feudalism was abolished and on August 26, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen proclaimed.

From the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens (inspired by our own Declaration of Independence) the phrase: liberte, egalite, fraternite (freedom, equality, fraternity) entered into the world’s consciousness.

Sadly, the political excesses and bloodshed that followed the initial glory days of the French Revolution managed to wipe out many of the ideals held by the promise of: liberte, egalite, fraternite. Eventually, however, the French nation was able to overcome its initial growing pains to become a world-leader.

To my French brothers and sisters (and especially to Monsieur Arcabulle Odriscoll, cyclist sans pareil) I wish you all a happy Bastille Day.

BLUE SKIES ... NOTHING BUT BLUE SKIES

2010-07-10T00:27:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Recently, the weather in Ventura County (and most of coastal Southern California) has been very un-summer like. Overcast days, fog, and cold temperatures seem to be the norm - and when good old Sol makes an appearance, it is usually for a brief moment in the late afternoon. The weather has turned Southern Californians, who are usued to eternal sunshine, a tad grumpy.

I too am yearning for days of sunshine and blues skies - nothing but blue skies. My wish for sunshine got me thinking about Irving Berlins famous tune, "Blues Skies."

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in history.

His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band," became world famous. The song sparked an international dance craze in places as far away as Russia, which also "flung itself into the ragtime beat with an abandon bordering on mania." Over the years, he was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular: uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his aim being to "reach the heart of the average American" whom he saw as the "real soul of the country."

He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him a legend before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career, he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films, with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Easter Parade", "White Christmas", "Happy Holiday", "This is the Army, Mr. Jones", and "There's No Business Like Show Business.”

Berlin’s Broadway musical and 1942 film, “This is the Army,” with Ronald Reagan, had Kate Smith singing Berlin's "God Bless America" which was first performed in 1938. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Celine Dion recorded it as a tribute, making it #1 on the charts.

Berlin's songs have reached the top of the charts 25 times and have been re-recorded countless times by singers including Ethel Merman, Frank Sinatra, Ethel Waters, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Rosemary Clooney, Diana Ross, Bing Crosby, Rita Reys, Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, Al Jolson, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. Composer Douglas Moore sets Berlin apart from all other contemporary songwriters, and includes him instead with Stephen Foster, Walt Whitman, and Carl Sandburg, as a "great American minstrel" – someone who has "caught and immortalized in his songs what we say, what we think about, and what we believe." Composer George Gershwin called him "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived," and composer Jerome Kern concluded that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music - he is American music."

“Blue Skies” was composed by Irving Berlin in 1926 as a last minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical, Betsy. Although the show only ran for 39 performances, "Blue Skies" was an instant success, with audiences on opening night demanding 24 encores of the piece from star, Belle Baker. During the final repetition, Ms. Baker forgot her lyrics, prompting Berlin to sing them from his seat in the front row.

In 1927, the music was published and Ben Selvin's recorded version was a #1 hit. That same year, it became one of the first songs to be featured in a talkie, when Al Jolson performed it in The Jazz Singer. 1946 was also a notable year for the song, with a Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire film taking its title, and two recorded versions by Count Basie and Benny Goodman reaching #8 and #9 on the pop charts, respectively. Proving its enduring popularity, Willie Nelson's recording of "Blue Skies" was a #1 country music hit in 1978.

"Blue Skies" is one of many popular songs whose lyrics use a "Bluebird of happiness" as a symbol of cheer: "Bluebirds singing a song -- Nothing but bluebirds all day long."

Here then, are three different versions of this beloved American classic. Enjoy!

WILLIE NELSON – Blues Skies

ELLA FITZGERALD – Blue Skies

BING CROSBY – Blue Skies

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

2010-07-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Today is America’s birthday. It seems like over the last few months we Americans have been taking it on the chin: an intractable recession that has spread misery across our bountiful land, an environmental disaster in the Gulf that threatens to destroy some of the most beautiful and rich coastline in the world, and a war that has claimed the lives of some of our best young men and women.

In spite of all our recent troubles, however, America continues to shine as a beacon of hope for the poor and the oppressed people of the world. The Great American Experiment was born in 1776 when Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence and the American colonies defied Britain, the most powerful nation on earth at the time. Today, the American Experiment continues to grow and draw strength from the diversity of the American people.

My Dad, an immigrant from Europe, loved America with all his heart. From him I learned learend to love the land that I call home. My Dad taught me that Americans might be knocked, but will never be beaten. If he was alive today, he would tell me not to worry, that America will overcome its current problems.

Happy Birthday America, land that I love.

Here is a modern favorite...
LEE GREENWOOD – God Bless the USA

From our neighbors to the North...
CELINE DION – God Bless America

And, finally, an all-time classic...
WILLIE NELSON – America the Beautiful

Enjoy!

FRANK SINATRA - THE SUMMER WIND

2010-07-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Summer is here and the air is filled withe the memories of summers past. For me, the cool summer nights bring back memories of spending long nights sitting by the window in my bedroom, voraciously gobbling up books.

The cool summer breeze would blow through the open window bringing with it the sweet fragance of the star jasmine planted below my window and the sounds of Frank Sinatra playing on my Dad's stereo while Dad worked late nights in his home office.

For you Dad, here is one of your (and my) favorite Sinatra songs:

FRANK SINATRA – The Summer Wind

HAPPY CANADA DAY

2010-07-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Today is Canada Day (Fete du Canada for you French-Canadians out in Quebec). Frequently referred to as "Canada's birthday", particularly in the popular press, the occasion marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867.

Canadians throughout the country will participate in organized celebrations in honor of Canada Day. Much like Americans during the Fourth of July, Canadians will attend public events such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts. The celebrations also include citizenship ceremonies for newly minted citizens.

Canadian expatriates will organize Canada Day activities in their local area on or near the date of the holiday. For instance, since 2006, annual Canada Day celebrations have been held at Trafalgar Square — the location of Canada House — in London, England; organized by the Canadian community in the United Kingdom and the Canadian High Commission, the event features Canadian performers and a demonstration of street hockey, amongst other activities.

In Afghanistan, where members of the Canadian Forces fight alongside other coalition troops, Canadian soldiers will mark the holiday at their base. Even Mexico gets into the Canada Day celebrations. Celebrations in Mexico will take place at the American Legion in Chapala and the Canadian Club in Ajijic.

Beginning in the 1950’s Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, have celebrated both Canada Day and the Fourth of July with the International Freedom Festival. A massive fireworks display over the Detroit River, the strait separating the two cities, is held annually with hundreds of thousands of spectators attending. A similar event, celebrating our two holidays, occurs at the Friendship Festival, a joint celebration between Fort Erie, Ontario, and neighboring Buffalo, New York.
Our brothers and sisters to the North have much to celebrate this year. A hugely successful Winter Olympics and a national economy that continues to surge ahead in spite of a worldwide recession are only two of the most recent feathers in Canada’s cap. So whether you are a Canuck living in London, Ontario or a Canada-fan living in sunny Southern California, join in and celebrate, you have earned it!

In honor of Canada Day, I will raise a frosty glass of Molson Canadian and dive into plate of hot poutine.

And for one very special Canuck, here is a rock rendition of Oh Canada. Enjoy your day sweet Moose.

HAPPY CANADA DAY 2010 – ROCK STYLE

USA BEATS BRITAIN!

2010-06-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

OK, I admit, the headline above is a bit of a teaser.

I am not a huge fan of car commercials, but the commercial below is one of the cleverest I have seen in a quite a while.

Hope you enjoy it too.

Dodge Challenger Freedom Commercial

Finally, tonight is a full moon. Makes me want to go out in my garden and dance...

KING HARVEST - Dancing in the moonlight

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Someone suggested that I should add this music video, to compliment the dance theme.
For all David Bowie's fans (Bowie is so gorgeous!) here is

Let's Dance

U.S. (FINALLY!) ACCEPTS HELP TO DEAL WITH GULF OIL SPILL

2010-06-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

More than 70 days after the most devastating environmental disaster in U.S. history, the Obama Administration has finally decided to accept help from 12 countries and international organizations in dealing with the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The State Department said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. is working out the particulars of the help that has been accepted.

The identities of all 12 countries and international organizations were not immediately announced. One country was cited in the State Department statement -- Japan, which is providing two high-speed skimmers and fire containment boom.
More than 30 countries and international organizations have offered to help with the spill. The State Department has not indicated why some offers have been accepted and others have not.

Well, it was about time!

THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS PERSONS DROPS IN VENTURA COUNTY

2010-06-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

The continuing existence of a significant population of homeless men, women and children is America’s “dirty secret.” It is nothing less than criminal that a rich and powerful country such as the United States cannot, or will not, provide shelter for all of its homeless citizens.

The continuing recession (when do we stop calling it a recession and call it what it is, a depression) has forced many “average” American families into the streets. In spite of the current Administration’s rosy estimates about a “summer of recovery” the fact remains that there are still far too many men and women out of work. These families are just one paycheck away from sleeping on the streets.

Among all the bad news, however, there is a small ray of sunshine – Ventura County sunshine!

A recent report indicates that homeless counts in Ventura County have dropped 17% this past winter, a success that local officials attribute to more low-cost housing opening up and better coordination of services in cities.

According to a report from the Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition, social workers found 1,815 people living on the streets on the night of Jan. 26, 2010. That is a 17% decrease from 2009 for homeless individuals. The total number of homeless families dropped 25%.

Reductions were consistent in Oxnard, Ventura, Simi Valley and other cities with significant homeless populations, said coalition director Cathy Brudnicki.

The drop comes at a time when local unemployment still hovers at around 11% and it shows that local governments can make a significant dent in a chronic problem when they work together. In the last year, housing for homeless and poor families opened in Oxnard and Ventura. A Simi Valley advocacy group was able to find stable shelter for 93 people.

The reduction in the homeless population in Ventura County underscores the power of local government to effectively deal with problems such as homelessness. At a time when more Americans are looking to the bureaucrats in the Federal government for quick fixes to our current problems, real solutions are most often found when local government officials band together and take action.

In the midst of the success of local agencies in finding shelter for Ventura’s homeless population, comes a documentary film, by a local artist, that speaks directly to this issue.

Without Shelter is a documentary film that highlights the organizations in Ventura County that are working to alleviate the daily challenges that face Ventura’s homeless population. The film, as seen through the eyes of individuals living on the streets, depicts the struggles of the men and women who live without shelter.

WITHOUT SHELTER – Scenes from the documentary

Without Shelter Opening 2 from Rich Brimer on Vimeo.

WITHOUT SHELTER – Commentary by the director Rich Brimer

Without Shelter Introduction from Rich Brimer on Vimeo.

WITHOUT SHELTER – Official trailer

Without Shelter Trailer from Rich Brimer on Vimeo.

For more information about the documentary and its director, Richard Brimer, and to learns about ways in which you can help, please click the link below:

Without Shelter

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have been following this blog, you may have noticed that there are far fewer posts than in past months. Writing a blog takes effort and lots of time. For the last couple of months I have been spending more time riding my bike and less time writing. Also, the fact that my daughter is home from college, means that I now spend more time being a mommy and less time being a writer.

If you have missed my articles, poems, and photographs, then I promise you, there will be more coming in the next few weeks. If you have hardly missed my “absence” from these pages, then nothing much has been lost.

Either way, please stay tuned!

Thanks for reading.

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER

2010-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Today, June 21, marks the official beginning of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. For me, summertime brings back fond memories of backyard cookouts, nights camping out under the stars, the sweet smell of jasmine floating up from the jasmine bush under my bedroom window and long, lazy days at the beach, feeling the sun’s rays caressing my limbs.

Summertime is also the perfect time to cruise around town, with the car’s windows rolled down, listening to music playing on the car’s radio.

Here then, are some of my favorite summer songs.

Given recent events, including a world economy that continues to falter and a worsening ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, this may indeed turn out to be a cruel summer.

BANANARAMA - Cruel summer

The next song, by the Los Angeles based group WAR, is an all-time summer, car cruising song.

WAR – Summertime

In California where the summers lasts all year long, the Beach Boys and their hit song, California Girls, are a reminder of why in spite of all of our current problems, California is still the place to be!

BEACH BOYS – California Girls

Enjoy your summertime!

CHEATING AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE???

2010-06-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

Tour de France officials have just announced that all the bikes used in this year's Tour will be subject to X-ray inspections. the reason for this unusual move is that Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara has been at the center of allegations that motors were being placed in bike frames to power the pedals during a race.

The Olympic time-trial champion, 29, and his Saxo Bank team have strongly rejected these accusations.

With electronic gears permitted in bikes, the International Cycling Union feel it necessary to tighten checks.

Following the accusations and reports circulating at the beginning of the month, Cancellara said: "It's so stupid I'm speechless."

While his team Saxo Bank insisted they were "strongly opposed to any form of cheating" and that there was "absolutely no truth to this story".

However, the UCI is determined to ensure the most prestigious race in the calendar, which starts in Rotterdam on 3 July and finishes in Paris on 25 July, is not blighted with further controversy.

Here is video of how these new micro motor work.

WHILE OBAMA TALKS, THE GULF SLOWLY DIES

2010-06-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

By Debbie Bulloch

On January 2009, a new U.S. President was inaugurated. I, along with a majority of the American and world-wide public, lauded the election of a man who had so much promise for hope and change. Now, 15 months after the momentous elevation of a man of color to the highest office in the land, we are discovering that the man who spoke so brilliantly about a New America is very good at talking, and not much else.

The other day I listened as Obama took to the airwaves to speak, from the White House Oval Office, about the Gulf oil spill and his proposed plan of action. A nation, devastated by the worse ecological disaster in U.S. history, eagerly awaited for its Commander in Chief to lead his countrymen. We expected to hear Franklin Delano Roosevelt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or John F. Kennedy during the Cuban MIssile Crisis. Instead, what we got was a man who is very good at speaking with great rhetorical flourishes but whose words are hollow and empty.

As I listened to Obama speak to the nation I realized one thing: the Emperor is wearing no clothes, the Emperor is naked.

What a disappointing performance by the man who was elecged ont he promise of Hope and Change.

(NOTE: The following is from article that originally appeared in Rolling Stone magazine, issue No.: 1107.)

THE SPILL, THE SCANDAL AND THE PRESIDENT

By Tim Dickinson
Jun 08, 2010 4:30 PM EDT

On May 27th, more than a month into the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, Barack Obama strode to the podium in the East Room of the White House. For weeks, the administration had been insisting that BP alone was to blame for the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf – and the ongoing failure to stop the massive leak. "They have the technical expertise to plug the hole," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs had said only six days earlier. "It is their responsibility." The president, Gibbs added, lacked the authority to play anything more than a supervisory role – a curious line of argument from an administration that has reserved the right to assassinate American citizens abroad and has nationalized much of the auto industry. "If BP is not accomplishing the task, can you just federalize it?" a reporter asked. "No," Gibbs replied.

Now, however, the president was suddenly standing up to take command of the cleanup effort. "In case you were wondering who's responsible," Obama told the nation, "I take responsibility." Sounding chastened, he acknowledged that his administration had failed to adequately reform the Minerals Management Service, the scandal-ridden federal agency that for years had essentially allowed the oil industry to self-regulate. "There wasn't sufficient urgency," the president said. "Absolutely I take responsibility for that." He also admitted that he had been too credulous of the oil giants: "I was wrong in my belief that the oil companies had their act together when it came to worst-case scenarios." He unveiled a presidential commission to investigate the disaster, discussed the resignation of the head of MMS, and extended a moratorium on new deepwater drilling. "The buck," he reiterated the next day on the sullied Louisiana coastline, "stops with me."

Meet Obama's sheriff, Ken Salazar.

What didn't stop was the gusher. Hours before the president's press conference, an ominous plume of oil six miles wide and 22 miles long was discovered snaking its way toward Mobile Bay from BP's wellhead next to the wreckage of its Deepwater Horizon rig. Admiral Thad Allen, the U.S. commander overseeing the cleanup, framed the spill explicitly as an invasion: "The enemy is coming ashore," he said. Louisiana beaches were assaulted by blobs of oil that began to seep beneath the sand; acres of marshland at the "Bird's Foot," where the Mississippi meets the Gulf, were befouled by shit-brown crude – a death sentence for wetlands that serve as the cradle for much of the region's vital marine life. By the time Obama spoke, it was increasingly evident that this was not merely an ecological disaster. It was the most devastating assault on American soil since 9/11.

Like the attacks by Al Qaeda, the disaster in the Gulf was preceded by ample warnings – yet the administration had ignored them. Instead of cracking down on MMS, as he had vowed to do even before taking office, Obama left in place many of the top officials who oversaw the agency's culture of corruption. He permitted it to rubber-stamp dangerous drilling operations by BP – a firm with the worst safety record of any oil company – with virtually no environmental safeguards, using industry-friendly regulations drafted during the Bush years. He calibrated his response to the Gulf spill based on flawed and misleading estimates from BP – and then deployed his top aides to lowball the flow rate at a laughable 5,000 barrels a day, long after the best science made clear this catastrophe would eclipse the Exxon Valdez.

To read the entire article, please go here:

OBAMA FIDDLES