One that got away

I've been amusing myself by reading Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson. I'm not sure why other than the fact that I like the way those 18th century dudes talk and this book is all about conversation. Back in the day, Johnson was a literary lion, although he is scarcely read today and lives on mostly through his biographer.

Anyhow, old Sam struck a nerve in this morning's reading in a discussion of Italy:

"A man who has not been in Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see. The grand object of travelling is to see the shores of the Mediterranean. On these shores were the four great Empires of the world; the Assyrian, the Persian,  the Grecian, and the Roman.--All our religion, almost all our law, almost all our arts, almost all that sets us above savages, has come to us from the shores of the Mediterranean."

I wouldn't go that far, but he has a point. The sad part for me is that I actually did get to go to Italy last summer and ran around quite a bit for the little time I was there. BUT, alas, I didn't get to see the Mediterranean. I was pretty close at Ravenna but we only had a little time and it just didn't work out.

It is my custom when I meet a worthy body of water to touch and bless myself with a few drops of it on my forehead the way observant Roman Catholics use holy water and I REALLY wanted to do that with the Mediterranean.

Maybe next time. If there is one.

I HATE TO SAY I TOLD YOU SO, but the stimulus, aka American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, actually worked.

RUNNING BEHIND. I meant to include this item by Jared Bernstein on the latest Census poverty data last week. Here's the good news: for the first time in ages, the percentage of uninsured Americans actually fell, thanks largely to the Affordable Care Act.

WILL DISNEY SUE? Here's a look at Mickey Mouse on Mercury.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

We climb things

It is a truth universally acknowledged that hillbillies like to climb things. It's in our genes. So, when I got to Siena, Italy to spend a little time with the Spousal Unit, I couldn't help scanning the horizon for things to climb. The Mangia tower seemed like a good fit. It's around 500 stairs to the top.,,

through a narrow spiraling staircase...

...but the view is pretty good.

Of telling Toto that we're not in Kansas anymore

El Cabrero is still taking time off in Italy, which is nice but distinctly un-American. I think Sarah Palin would have a hard time campaigning here.

There have been any number of signs of not being in Freedomland. One of these is the fact that the food and wine are better but there is less obesity. Another sure sign is how some streets are named. I think you'd have to scour the US pretty hard to find a plaza named after a revolutionary Marxist theorist like Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937).

Fox News would have a cow.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

Home sweet home

El Cabrero is taking this week WAY off. Home base these days is a funky building in Siena Italy which was said to have been the home of the Napoleonic governor of the city more than 200 years ago.



It has modern amenities, such as wireless internet and all that. But the gym is strictly old school. It consists of the original kind of stairmaster. And it's only 98 steps from the ground floor to our apartment.

There is an elevator, but that's for candy asses.



Fortunately, it's a room with a view.

Heads up

I would be remiss in my husbandly duties if I didn't mention that the Spousal Unit has recently started a blog of her own.

She was selected this year to be one of 16 participants in a six week long Dante seminar for educators which is being held in Siena, Italy. Yes, it's another one of those dirty thankless jobs, but somebody's got to do it. The blog is all about Dante and the trip, with lots of pictures. I'm going to try to get there for a week or so in July.

A nun friend told me to be sure to check out the head of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), which is now kept in that city's Basilica of San Domenico. Apparently, her thumb is there too.

The story goes that her body was kept in Rome after her death but some intrepid (and possibly over-zealous) monks removed the head and snuck it back to Siena, concealing it in a bag. For that reason, she is sometimes said to be the patron saint of contraband.

When I get there, I'll be sure to check it out. Meanwhile, thanks to my friendly nun for the (groan) heads up.

SO WHAT CAN WE AFFORD, ACTUALLY? A new report estimates that our current wars could wind up costing $4 trillion, not counting a bunch of dead and wounded people.

MORE MEDICAID MESS. Here's the latest bad idea.

COOKING THE BOOKS. Here's the latest from the federal investigation of Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine disaster. Meanwhile, criminal investigations of the company may go farther up the chain.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED