Harry Potter

Yesterday the Wall Street Journal ran an interesting review/interpretation of the Order of the Phoenix, the book just before the Half Blood Prince. It is worth reading for the interpretation that Jonathan Last puts on Harry Potter. His view, if accurte, would put to rest those who think the books are only about witches and wizards. Find it if you can. I didn't check yet to see if the article is available on line. Jonathast Last is on the online editor for the Weekly Standard. If you don't know what that publication is, you may want to look it up.

Here are two bridge pictures from Prague.

Praha or, as we know it, Prague

First off, I think we should start calling cities by the names everyone who lives in them or close to them call them. So rather than Prague, we should say Praha.

Second, I think travel books should list the name of the places you will see and read on street signs in the language of the country/city. So for example, in Praha, you will see Karlov (or something similar to that) Most, not Charles Bridge. It is fine to put Charles Bridge after Karlov Most, but not make Charles Bridge prominent in the book.

Karlova Most is a pedestrian bridge. Many jazz musicians and other artists occupy the sides of the bridge. Thus, in addition to the statues of religious figures/saints on the bridge, a pedestrian sees and hears some of the street artists of Praha. American music has been transported to Praha and enjoyed by Americans and I hope, by the natives of the city. That is, I hope the performances in public places are not for our benefit, but because the musicians like and enjoy performing Dixieland.

First Blog Entry

I am testing this means of posting photos and comments. I just returned from Prague and have under two thousand digital pictures and a few tiny movies. I don't see where it says you can include little movies/videos here, so I will need to learn about that.

I am also wondering if using a blog would be a good way to locate some of the Pueblo Central High School class of 1956. How many of us are out there searching, but haven't yet joined classmates.com or some other service?

I already learned that it pays to know a little HTML if you want paragraphs!