My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

Well, not really. But, my bags are 99% percent packed. Long flight, 9 hours (direct), I don't remember New York being that far away. Miami is always a long one. I guess it takes as long as it takes. I could offer to flap my arms, but that would probably just get me kicked off the plane.

Lovely day here in the Alps, but again it will be over 90F. There are a number of Indian engineers in my building and yesterday they were complaining... Seems there is an on/off heat switch, it is either the endless winter or the dead of summer. Unfortunately, for the poor little old ladies of Paris it is worse -- over 100F the other day! At least the Swiss have something to complain about other than the stress in their lives.

Stopped in at Cranberry last evening in search of AC. Found it. Again a very quiet night, but that was OK, so long as it was cool!

Well there are things to do, so I should go do them. Enjoy your week!

Travelling again

Got my notorious grey travelling bag out and will pack tomorrow. (I have lived for months out of a well organized bag no bigger than a small gym bag....) Heading to New York Sunday for the week, returning here next Saturday. I will then repack the bag and go to London on Sunday, returning Tuesday.

It will be SO NICE to get to the land of mandatory air conditioning! (My Swiss friends are convinced that I will return with pneumonia or worse!) The weather shaman ("forecasters") cast their spells and "upgraded" their entrail reading -- I mean forecasts - you guessed it, hotter for as far as the eye can see. This is really only an issue due to the lack of AC, but that is a BIG issue.

It will also be nice to see friends. As SoBe is the honorary 6th borough of greater New York, one builds quite an impressive list of friends and acquaintences in the Big Apple. I will also be able to trade tall tales with my favorite bartender in NY, Michael at Splash ("Do you have a favorite bartender in every city," you ask. Such a silly question! How else does one ensure a well made martini and safe ice?)

Fun buying rocks by auction. Got a gorgeous pyargyrite (silver sulfosalt) for $51 (!) I was shocked, but I'm not sending it back! (I have seen several comparable over the years, but in the $450 - $750 range.) Bargains always put me in a good mood. It will soon reside in my trusty dust, fire and vibration-proof safety deposit box with other goodies while I trapse through the UK.

The official signing ceremony for the UK job will occur a week from Monday in London. Her Majesty has sent regrets, but everyone important will be there (I will be found afterward under the buffet table guzzling a decent champagne and otherwise misbehaving.) Never thought I would make this much money in my life, be interesting to see how Shrub takes it away from me... (The Republicans have been nibbling around the edges of the ex-pat tax benies, seems they found out that most ex-pats are Democrats in exile.)

Alexis has been under the weather in SoBe, so news has been sparse. It is an old joke that he has to avoid poisoners and other would-be assassins -- at least it was a joke, hmmmmm I had a bout of "bad ice" in London, actually I suspect a bad mussel (silly me, eating mussels in a non-R month, I must be suicidal from the heat!) As we have both survived our dances with death, we just end up with more tales to tell. Onward and upward!

As this is end of week, I must wish you a great weekend. Sunday, flying Swiss in business class. I believe I have observed this before, but I have never been afraid to repeat myself, Swiss in coach is really cattle car stuff, but they know how to do business class. Looking forward to it.

Hot, ... too...hot...

It is truly too hot. The boss is shutting down the office at 1600.... I'm going for ice cream.

Oh, bother!

Kvetch of the day: We are working in a hot (unairconditioned) construction zone. The windows HAVE to be open, however the sound of jackhammers and the dust that they raise makes for a long day. This is fundamentally miserable and I really do not believe that animals should be treated like this, let alone people expected to produce work. I am seriously thinking of tossing this nonsense in and going home (Miami). As it is predicted to be up into the 90's tomorrow...

Over the weekend, to my dismay, I found that a particularly ravenous species of skin mite accompanied me back from the UK (talk about flea bag hotels!) By the time I found the first one, they had overrun all frontiers and were erecting fortifications. Fortunately, I called in on my friendly neighborhood Swiss pharmacist at first light yesterday, who provided a solution that she guaranteed to be quite lethal to the little beggars no matter the fortification! Still itching like crazy but I do believe that they are departing for mite heaven. Of course, this puts a red light on any extracurricular activities, until they are all quite dead and gone!

My landlord has gone to a more affordable internet solution (CHF 100/month instead of the old price of CHF 800), so I will have an internet connection at home (YEAH!!) Such a bother when you are used to having a minimal set of capabilities, which in Europe are always a bit dicey. This has been a continuous source of annoyance as Internet email is blocked at work.

Cranberry was fun again last night, but again very quiet. Made for a short night. Stopped at the grocer and grabbed some urgently needed goodies, as the cupboard at home was bare. A glass of wine and some fruit and cheese provided the perfect light dinner.

Have been amazed by the sights on CNN of events in the Middle East. Everyone seems to be apportioning blame, but no one seems to be focused on finding a solution. Hezbollah and Hamas make a living out of being giant pains in the Isreali backside. This is complicated because they both have some legitimacy as members of Government. Given certain provocation, e.g., a missle landing in an Israeli city, the Israeli response is 100% predictable. Ok, it is easy to understand both sides. What is hard to understand is why the "good guys" put up with it. The Arab League, the EU, the UN, and the G8 all have lots of skin in the game. I think this is easy from the Israeli standpoint, I believe them when they say that they really just want the missles to stop. Unfortunately, I fear that the last 50-odd years has so hardened the Palestinians that I seriously doubt that they want anything approaching peace. That is the problem the "good guys" have to solve. I am relatively confident that a short term solution will be found. However, without dealing with the roots of the problem it will simply return. Fundamentalist ministers of all religions have convinced their followers that the rest of the world's sole aim is to destroy them -- the bizarreness of that concept not withstanding, perhaps that is one place to start.

Zurich and another Monday

Back in Zurich. Quite a nice morning, but it won't last. The heat builds in over the next couple of days and once more gets into the low 90's. ARG!! Otherwise, back into the rut. I can use a bit of rest after the travels of the last 2 weeks.

The UK adventure ended well. Should have a signed consulting agreement in place this week and the offer letter next week. Will be quite a relief.

Stopped in at Cranberry Saturday. Lots of friends were in, strange, as the bar has been in its summer doldrums as the Zurichers flock to the lake. Fun time.

Gladiator on the tube last evening (in German and English), so I stayed in and lazed out.

DAMN!!

The unthinkable rumors have turned out to be too true. The outside bar at the Palace is no more. I am sad, disgusted, and more than a bit angry. However, realism is what it is, there are alternatives.

I am currently enjoying London. Was in Norwich yesterday and confirmed the job offer. Seems solid, although things are never solid until they are... Should have an offer letter within 10 days, then it will be solid. Very nice dinner last night with Steve's management team. Back to London this morning. Really an OK train ride, a bit less than 2 hours.

London is fun. Staying at a rather funky hotel in Earls Court. The Blackbird continues to pour an excellant beer and their pies are equal to the beer. Will head down there shortly for a bit of lunch.

Back to Zurich tomorrow morning. Fortunately, London weather is fine but much cooler than Z., well back into the furnace tomorrow.

On the road again

Headed to the UK tomorrow, London with a side trip to Norwich. Will be back here for the weekend. Looking forward to seeing friends and catching up.

I AM SO HAPPY -- (almost). The World Cup is over!! The final was ultimately just as boring as all the games the preceeded it. It was a bit strange that the French star forgot what game he was playing and flattened a rather rude Italian (for which he received a red card). Monsieur, please remember, socceer = boring, rugby = fun. Now if only the Tour de France would finish up.... then I will be SO HAPPY. The Wimbleton men's final was likely predictable, but it was nice it went 4 sets. Amazing that Nadal made it into the finals -- and against some credible competition, I do think the young man has a future.

Too warm once again in Zurich. Good enough reason to visit damp London. Today at least the sky is a stunning blue. Gonna go look at it in a few minutes and down a cup of decent coffee.

Very sad news from SoBe. The beach bar at the Palace is closing, to become an ice cream parlor. So many wonderful memories... However, as I observed when the rumors started to fly, no need to resort to despair, there are alternatives.

Time for coffee and a bit of shopping before calling in on Cranberry and collecting the gossip.

Vienna, visas, et al

I believe that you would have to be very twisted not to love Vienna. What a place! I stayed at a hotel in the old part of town, so everything that was on my to do list was at hand. Ditmar, his parents, friends from Miami, friends from Vienna, and assorted other characters were in great form and extremely amusing. Monday, they all went on a Danube cruise to Brataslava, therefore, I visited the jewel-encrusted, solid gold imperial goodies. My word! -- the Hapsburgs had quite an empire (once they beat the Turks, that is). I am not sure how big a percentage, but a significant percentage of the cut diamonds in the world are behind burglar-proof protective glass in Vienna...

My visa extension came in. However, some contract issues mean that I will be on vacation again next week. Going to Paris and London, will get back here sometime next weekend. WHEEEEE!

All is otherwise well. I have been working on a business plan for a new bar in South Beach and having some fun doing it -- are drag strippers a viable idea (nope!) Anyway, keeping busy.

I am hugely unhappy with Eurosport. They are showing the rivoting Tour de France instead of the Wimbleton quarter finals today!! I did not realize that the French took their sedatives via television, but the Tour is a guaranteed snoozer... with or without Lance (as in, "are they still cycling?", "yep", "ok, I'll check back in two hours" - repeat, repeat, repeat, and yes, repeat)... ARG

The North Koreans seem to be having a bit of fun poking fingers into eyes -- if the Chinese are truly angry, instead of make believe "angry", they may have actually gone too far. Seems they are a bit jealous of all the attention Iran is getting -- look at me! I have real nukes, not make believe nukes, and I can deliver them (maybe).... yeah, sure...

Meanwhile, oil is still $70+ per barrel, Condi Rice is still the Secretary of State, and Shrub is still in the White House -- does any of this make any sense what so ever?