In the country where the “World Series” usually include such world powers as New York and Arizona, it’s no wonder that a musical competition in Europe is not front page news. I feel it’s my duty to inform those of you who haven’t heard the news that this year’s Eurovision 2009 was won by a Russian-born singer representing Norway.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBFFlL58UTM
I actually had more fun watching the compilation of all the winners in the previous 50 years where many songs sounded very familiar.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G0eiFxEiIU
While you may want to take a look at poodle-looking Celine Dion somehow representing Switzerland, I like the following song from 1975 a lot better.
For the longest time a trip to Argentina has occupied the top spot on my imaginarybucketlist, patiently waiting for its time. Talking about my dream to visit Argentina became such a part of my life that after finally getting it done, I might be at a loss of subjects to discuss in a polite conversation. In any case, the trip and the country of Argentina turned out to be everything I imagined it to be and much more, and became the longest, the most expensive and the best trip of my adult life.
When the Garmin-Chipotle bicycling team was being formed I was not invited. Maybe it was my penchant to ride wearing Hawaiian shirts, or my refusal to purchase a helmet, or maybe it was the fact that I weigh as much as Lance Armstrong together with his bike, something must have prevented them from accepting me into their team. I wasn’t surprised, Garmin ignores two or three of my job applications every year.
I was not discouraged by the lack of sponsorship (sponsors are welcome to contact me with proposals) and participated in my own Tour De La Crique Indienne or as you Americans would call it – Tour of the Indian Creek Trail. I discussed the pleasures of recreational biking before so I will not repeat myself. Today the weather was nice and I rode about 37 kilometers (23 miles) round-trip from my house to 103rd st. and Metcalf. I wasn’t in a hurry and had plenty of time to stop and take some photos. So there, I can ride a bike and photograph.Take that, Garmin!
Then, upon closer examination, I noticed a poster in the window promoting V-Mail.
V-mail stands for Victory Mail. It was based on the similar British “Airgraph” system for delivering mail between those at home in the United States and troops serving abroad during World War II. V-mail correspondence worked by photographing large amounts of censored mail reduced to thumb-nail size onto reels of microfilm, which weighed much less than the original would have. The film reels were shipped by priority air freight (when possible) to the US, sent to prescribed destinations for enlarging at a receiving station near the recipient, and printed out on lightweight photo paper. These facsimiles of the letter-sheets were reproduced about one-quarter the original size and the miniature mail was delivered to the addressee.
I didn’t find the exact same poster, so here are few other ones.
