Interesting sign-posts

If you travel around the world you have probably seen some unique and different signs, but I am sure you haven't seen these. Check out the Signposts from around the world. Some of them are very interesting!

Here's to you, Jay and Wayne

During my time in Boston I came to enjoy spending hours at the Boston Public Library perusing the books, doing research, attending concerts and presentations or simply people watching.

This past Tuesday I returned books to the library (and paid a late fine, of course!) and I mentioned to them that I wanted to leave with a clean balance since I was headed to Kentucky for a job, following my 11-month layoff. The person at the desk, Jay, told me that the BPL was preparing to lay off all those workers with less than 10 years of service at the end of the month. Jay has been at the library for nine years. This is almost too cruel, but the story does not end there. He went on to tell me practically everyone working the desk would be laid off. I looked at his colleague at the other end of the counter, Wayne, who looked at me and nodded in grim, sad agreement. We instantly shared a kinship that few working people can appreciate. I am just coming out of my lay off, one of the worst and most difficult moments of my life; they are about to enter a very trying and frustrating time. These are good people and it bothers me that they have to suffer this. I shared with them my routine for dealing with the layoff --they enjoyed hearing about my use of the punching bag and when I told them I imagined someone's face on it, they laughed.  I really hope these guys make it back on their feet.

The sad thing is, the president of the library makes $175,000 a year. I have a suggestion: why doesn't he take a pay cut as a contribution toward preventing people from losing their jobs?

Here's to you, Jay and Wayne.

Arrivederci, Roy Makaay

Today I read that the Feyenoord striker, Roy Makaay, announced his retirement at the end of the current season. With the departure of Makaay, the football loses a legitimate hit man whose every entry onto the pitch changed the complexion of a game. Makaay made a name for himself playing in Spain's La Liga where he played for Tenerife and Deportivo de la Coruña, helping the latter to its first league championship in 2000. He was a constant threat to the opposing side's goal keeper and his uncanny ability to find the back of the net places him in very select company. His 29 goals for Deportivo in 2003 capped an incredible year for Makaay as he dominated the scoring tables. I saw him play for Deportivo against Espanyol in Barcelona years ago and I was impressed by how fast the defense zoomed in on him when he entered into the game as a substitute.

Many Americans say they do not like soccer because it is low scoring. They should have been watching Roy Makaay play.

English is not enough

Learning a language is a good thing. I grew up speaking English and Spanish and I have learned Italian. In addition to being fun, it has many, especially cognitive, benefits. Read English is not enough by Catherine Porter to learn more.

Quote for a special occasion

In 1783 the Polish and American patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko, in honor of the success of the American Revolution, wrote: "O! how happy we think our Self when Conscious of our deeds, that were started from principle of rectitude, from conviction of the goodness of the thing itself, from motive of the good that will Come to Human Kind."

Given the historic significance of the recent health care reform bill that President Obama signed, the quote is very applicable. I think somewhere out there General Kosciuszko is tipping his hat to President Obama.

For those of you who never heard of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, he was the architect of West Point and it was his plans that were stolen by Benedict Arnold to sell to the British. Teachers tend to leave that fact out when they teach students about Benedict Arnold's treason. One more thing, you most likely are continuing a tradition started by Kosciuszko: he was assigned the duty of arranging the first fireworks celebration marking the 1st anniversary of American independence in 1783.

The 3 Iranian Sopranos

A friend of mine posted the link to the Three Iranian Sopranos on his Facebook wall and when I visited it and heard their songs, I was completely blown away by the beauty and grace of their virtuosity. All I could say was WOW!! For me listening to a song in Portuguese is an incredibly powerful and emotional feeling. I now have that same feeling listening to Farsi. 

Check out the Three Iranian Sopranos website to learn more about them and to hear their performances. It is well worth it. In this day and age where the US media consistently portrays Iran in a negative light, here is a story that will debunk the false notion that Iran is a backward, culturally bereft country. 

Spread the word. I have been e-mailing some of our congressmen to let them know about the Three Iranian Sopranos. Since most of our congressmen have never traveled in their lives, we must bring international culture to their door and remind them that Iran offers many positive contributions to the world.

Spring by John Clare

As I was looking through some books in the Boston Public Library I stumbled on a collection of poems by the Englishman John Clare (1793-1846). His meditations on nature and its spirituality place him in the same category as Henry Thoreau. Check out this poem titled "Spring."

                                      Spring

Pale sun beams gleam
That nurture a few flowers
Pilewort and daisey and a sprig o'green
On whitethorn bushes
In the leaf-strewn hedge

These harbingers
Tell spring is coming fast
And these the schoolboy marks
And wastes an hour from school
Agen the old pasture-hedge

Cropping the daisey
And the pilewort flowers
Pleased with the Spring and all he looks upon
He ope's his spelling-book
And hides her blossoms there

Shadows fall dark
Like black in the pale Sun
And lye the bleak day long
Like blackstock under hedges
And bare wind-rocked trees

Tis'dull but pleasant
In the hedge-bottom lined
With brown seer leaves the last
Year littered there and left
Mopes the hedge-sparrow

With trembling wings and cheeps
Its welcome to pale sunbeams
Creeping through and further on
Made of green moss
The nest and green-blue eggs are seen

All tokens spring and every day
Green and more green hedges and close
And everywhere appears
Still 'tis but March
But still that March is spring