Finally got my glasses--yes, from B.J.''s and they even knocked $25 off the price for my time and trouble. I can now see to both read and drive, and I hope that's the end of my travails with my eyesight.
Good neighbor (I always think of Mr. Rogers) Ray and chef son, John, stopped over to chat with Pat for a few minutes, a very welcome diversion. Then Leslie stopped with some magazines and a luscious piece of cake for him, another pleasant visit. Talked to Mary Ann Van O. and set a date for lunch on the 31st. Her Bart, who has the same physical problem as Pat (emphysema) was just in the hospital, but is now home and rallying, at least to a point.
Wider: Six years on, the horrors continue. From Anti-War.com:
"...President Obama has certainly gone a long way toward supporting the notion that the war is all-but-over as well, with his talk of ending the combat operations on August 31, 2010. Yet the fine-print in the Obama Administration “pullout” plan is that 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq indefinitely past that date, and will continue to engage in combat operations."
But Congress never declared war, did it? So how could we still be in it? Of course, our current and future "enemies" are legion: Afganistan...Iran...Pakistan...Korea...China...and so on and on. Endless war seems to be not just the order of the day, but of the decade and the century, world without end.

Incredibly, the woman from B.J.'s Optical called to tell me my glasses are in! This after I got a gift card, which I intended to convert to a refund once I found my receipt. Now I'm not sure if I'm going to take them or not. On the one hand, if they're properly finished (and, in light of the initial error and long delay, I'll have to be sure of this), I'd finally have my glasses. On the other, I might want to check out other optical places to see if they'd be any cheaper. Not sure what to do now.
Other than that, nothing going on. Hardly left the house, even though it was a bright, sunny day. Did make a date to go with the D.'s next door to see "Plaza Suite" on the 27th, I'm happy to say. That's the start of my respite weekend and I'll travel up to A.'s after.

Wider: There's a remarkable essay by Chris Floyd on the romance our benighted past officials have with torture and what seems to be its calm acceptance by the new administration. It comprises the March 17 essay and here's an excerpt:

"As we all know, the Obama Administration is now fighting strenuously in court to uphold this cynical Bush strategy (and others) to cover up high crimes -- capital crimes -- by the leaders of the government. Obama has offered the excuse that he is fighting for Bush in court because he doesn't want to do anything that 'would undermine or weaken the institution of the presidency.' But how would applying the law of the land 'weaken the institution of the presidency'? Why do the president and his minions need the 'power' to commit crimes and get away with them? For make no mistake: in these court cases, this is precisely the 'power' that Obama is seeking to preserve. Why does he want that power, and the 'state secrets' get-out-of-jail-free card that goes with it? The answer seems obvious: because he wants to use that power for himself, and to pass it on to subsequent managers of the empire. For Obama is an intelligent man: he knows that the empire cannot be managed, maintained -- and expanded -- without recourse to criminal actions on a vast scale."

The entire article is essential to read, though--for those who have the stomach for it. http://www.chris-floyd.com/

Wonders never cease here in Joisey. Went to B.J.'s Optical to beg and plead for (and stomp and scream about) my glasses and the guy asked if I wanted a refund. Yes!
A coupla annoyances, though: They charged me $159 for the sunglasses, plus, because I didn't have the receipt with me, would give me only a gift card for the remaining $324,48. I now have to go back with the receipt to get cash and, of course, must start over at square one to get the glasses, six weeks later.
I hate Acme, too. Their crimes against the populace are too numerous to list here, but yesterday, I was the victim of the not unusual sleight-of-hand involving a 40 cents off coupon, a malfunctioning self-checkout, and veiled rudeness from an employee. Of course, the prices are outrageous (aren't they supposed to go down in re/depression?), and we're subjected to both horrid, intrusive television and disgusting piped-in music, whether we like it or not.
When Corporate America shows its true face, we realize it's a hydra-headed monster.

The opera, "Rigoletto," was just superb. The sets and costumes were so beautiful and sumptuous, they made it worth seeing even if Pavarotti hadn't sung the lead. Of course, if it had been a straight play, the plot would have made it laughable. As most operas seem to be, it was full of contrived situations, mistaken identities, and over-blown reactions to the treachery and tragedy that bring down the victims. It was great.
I'm amazed at myself for liking opera so much, considering I hardly knew it existed before a year or so ago. A group of us are discussing going to a Simucast(?) of an opera next year--hope I can go.
From the ridiculous to the sublime--or rather, vice versa. The other day, Pat stumbled on the T.V. show, "Toddlers And Tiaras," and I watched for a time. The program consists of following little girls (in this case, from age 2 to 6 or so) and their mothers as the children prepare for, and compete in, "beauty pageants." They all seemed to live in the southern states, so it may be a regional thing.
The time and effort--not to mention money--it takes to participate in these contests is formidable. Preparation includes buying expensive costumes, finding the right makeup, choosing the "talent" presentation, and--sometimes--bringing into line reluctant contestants. There are even "coaches" who drill the kids on songs, gestures, and demeanor, a remarkable profession I had never heard of before. The mothers, some of whom had been beauty pageant contestants themselves, seemed very determined to compete and win; some of the little girls less so.
Of course, it's easy to sneer at this idiocy. I admit I was shocked at seeing little children with full makeup, fake hair, and false eyelashes doing their best to imitate fecund women by provocative song and dance. I wonder if their mothers ever think of the pedophiles who must surely look forward to the show.
I found it mostly sad, though. How dreadful that these little girls will soon be convinced that their worth to others lies mainly in their physical attributes and ability to charm.
Then there's this: Viewers were informed that the military Daddy of one of the contestants was due to leave for Afghanistan shortly. He will stand by until called upon to help murder other little girls. Of course, this simple fact would never, in a million years, enter the consciousness of any of the adults or children on the show or, for that matter, more than a small fraction of those watching the show.
It's just as well, I guess; When truth cries out, it drowns all the pretty music and makes everybody uncomfortable. So it must be impressed on the kiddies that beauty pageants are important and great fun and Mommy might not love them if they don't do their best.
I guess they wouldn't like "Rigoletto," either.

Zipped over to Santori's to stock up on basic foodstuff: feta cheese, squash, green-leaf lettuce, and so on. Otherwise, little went on except the usual chores.
Called Ellen on the web cam AGAIN thinking it was Sunday. However, we had a nice chat and I was enthralled, as ever, to hear the various goings-on in California and the district concerning education and their blasted budget. (Hmm, sounds like Jersey.)
Susan and Walter are in A.C. for the weekend, so I'll be walking with the boys--Frank, Johnnie, and The Platters, etc.--until Tuesday.
Wider: From "Peace Action," on why we're fighting in Afghanistan:
"The main justification for starting the war in Afghanistan was that the Taliban government then in power was offering sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden. Going to war with an entire country is a poor way to capture a small mobile group living in a remote area. Bin Laden still has not been
caught. Now U.S. ally Pakistan is reported to be providing the same kind of sanctuary. A wider war with Pakistan would be even more disastrous."
But there's much more of this simply-worded, honest assessment at the site:
http://www.peace-action.org/pub/factssheets/Afghanistan_facts.pdf
It's well-worth reading and makes a lot of sense.

Got a terrific craving for lentils (could I be pregnant?) in the morning and rushed out to buy them. Made a huge pot of lentil stew in the crock pot, then assembled a salad to have for lunch, cut up zucchini, onion, and tomatoes for a casserole, and chopped apples to make applesauce. By the time Pat got up, all was bubbling or simmering on the stove, aside from the salad, which was slumbering in the fridge. A yummy day altogether.
Later, finally bought new walking shoes (read "sneakers"), plus a few other things. The big news is that I'm going to add cousin Judy's manuscript, as described yesterday, to the Domino Lane blog:
http://uncle-franks-farm.blogspot.com/
Wider: This, from Dennis Perrin, says it all about Muntadhar al-Zeidi and Bush--and "justice" in the world:
"...Throw a shoe at your country's occupier and miss -- jail. Invade another country, unleash cluster bombs and chemical weapons, torture, help incite bloody sectarian war using domestic death squads and foreign mercenaries, the death toll somewhere around a million -- retire in material comfort, guarded 'round the clock."
The SOB to whom Perrin refers, could easily have asked for leniency for his "attacker" instead of a three-year incarceration. But no, no: he said it was up to Iraq to dispense "justice." Guess the idea of sacred sovereignty didn't occur to him when he was slaughtering Iraqi children.