ORACLE at DELPHI

The Oracle of Delphi dates back to 1400 BC. It was the most important shrine in all Greece. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the center of the world. In classic Greek mythology, it was chosen by Zeus and became the Temple of Apollo. The Greeks believed that the god, Apollo spoke through the Oracle. People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia (Oracle), the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, covered every imaginable subject. The answers were often difficult to understand, kind of like a politician. Arguments over the correct interpretation of an oracle were common, but the oracle was always happy to give another prophecy if more gold was provided. (Another political similarity). The lack of a strict religious dogma associated with the worship of Greek gods also encouraged scholars to congregate at Delphi, and it became a focal point for intellectual enquiry, as well as an occasional meeting place where rivals could negotiate. It was neutral ground. The temple was therefore not just for visiting the Oracle but a gathering place for philosophers. All Greek states would send rich gifts to keep the Oracle on their side. As a result, the Temple had huge collections of gold and valuable artworks. It finally came to an end in the 4th century AD when an anti-pagan Christian Roman Emperor put the oracle out of business.

LINK of the DAY

http://lucianne.com/article/?pageid=i_want_your_money

It's NOT FAIR, Boo Hoo

Last month I wrote about my experience at Marine Home Center and trying to buy an air conditioner. Despite having every credit card known to man and visiting Marine Home Center several times prior to the arrival of the shipment, I could not pre-order an A/C because it would not be "FAIR" to other people... What people... those without a credit card or a phone? I never learned how it would be not fair but suffice it to say I queued up and got my air conditioner and it still works great on hot days (rare).

Today we went to a really great lecture at the Great Harbor Yacht Club here on Nantucket. It was a presentation by Robert Ballard, oceanographer and discoverer of the Titanic, among other things. It was very informative. The lecture started at 3 pm and we got there at 2:45 so we could get a good seat. At about 3:05 a woman came up the isle and pointed to some empty seats next to us that had been saved by a man and his wife who came about the same time we did. Upon finding out that the seats were indeed "unavailable" she proclaimed in all seriousness..."It's not fair." WTF? Not fair to whom? Someone who arrived late? I guess it would not be fair if she had tickets to a plane flight that was scheduled to depart at 3:00 and she missed the flight because she arrived after it took off. I don't know, but this whole fairness thing needs resolution. I suggest we set up a cabinet level agency... "the Ministry of Fairness." Whenever a situation arose like the aforementioned, there would be an 800 number that the aggrieved party could call to get Fairness administered at the federal level so we would not have to deal with these things on a one on one basis. It would be only FAIR.

Ka BOOM

From our Balcony at North Beach. The fireworks went on for a half hour and were spectacular. It really brings out the "kid" in you except we never had fireworks this good when I was growing up. Mostly we had cherry bombs and ash-cans and blew up all sorts of things. There were roman candles and the occasional bottle rocket. If we did now, what we did then, I would be in Jail. We never blew up mailboxes or anything we thought could be dangerous to others (we were wrong at times) but it was more participatory and less voyeuristic that what passes for fireworks today. but then again, in today's world...most things are watched rather than done.

THAR she BLOWS

Took this picture as I was walking back from Brant Point today. It is about 1/4 mile from our house to the beach there. Typical of Nantucket, this weather vane was on the roof of a house on Easton Street. Whales are a constantly recurring theme here on the island due to the island's history of Whaling. It put Nantucket "on the map" but these days the island is about real estate and tourism. Though it is only 15 x 5 miles big, it has to accommodate a large population of tourists, particularly now, just before all the little bastards go back to school. I was no particularly fond of the throngs at Brant Point watching the parade of wooden boats.. but the spectacle was sufficiently interesting so as to nullify the mob-scene ambiance. A short 5 minute drive from here...we might be the only people in sight.

Last night, the Boston Pops performed at Jetties Beach...also about 1/2 mile from our house. We did not attend but we could watch the fireworks from our porch. They were huge and among the best we have ever seen.

WHALE or HO

I am thoroughly enjoying my time in Nantucket. You do not get much of a sense of phoniness up here. Most of the people are a little impressed with their history but then again they do have a lot of history that is well...historic. One thing that is quite pervasive is their pride in their WHALING industry. They killed a lot of whales to get the oil. There is a Whaling Museum and the local school teams are known as The Whalers. (no relation to Bob Marley's Wailers.) All well and good. I am not one of those revisionist people who have to rewrite all the text books to remove things from our past history that are not politically correct (PC) today. You know that there are lots of folks who prefer to think of Christopher Columbus not as the discoverer of the New World but rather the raper and pillager of indigenous peoples. These same people condemn everyone south of the Mason Dixon line who might want to belong to a historic group related to the Civil War. Many of these phony revisionists are residents of the great state of Massachusetts and some have even held political office.

To them I say phooey! Whaling was a very important part of the history of Nantucket. It was back in the days when we needed oil to light lamps as petroleum was not available (the same people who hate Columbus also hate petroleum) and rather than sit in the dark, they killed whales. Today we are more enlightened. Now we only kill people in far away countries. Anyhow, I am in favor of not rewriting history to suit the sensibilities of tree huggers and hippies and calling Columbus anything but the discoverer of America, the South as an equal part of the USA, and Whaling as something we used to do before we got PC, except in Japan where they still kill whales for whatever reason...probably to make aphrodisiacs.

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE the more they remain the same

This photo of ME was taken almost 60 years ago in the Hamptons (the part of Long Island just southwest of here) on a bluff overlooking the sea. I am riding a Raleigh bike with a wicker basket with Khaki shorts, and a plaid shirt. In Nantucket in 2010, I ride a similar bike in similar clothes along a similar coastline. They sell the "official" Nantucket wicker basket at the local bike shop. It's the same basket. Put a little Rosemary Clooney or Perry Como on the ipod and I could be easily transported back in time. What a world we live in. We buy Ralph Lauren clothes and "love" the vintage look. You should see how many men, who aren't gay, walk around wearing pink pants. Sure, it's called Nantucket Red but it a faded hot pink-salmonish color. Bermuda shorts are everywhere. The ubiquitous JEEP Wrangler, reminiscent of the WW2 military vehicle, the MINI Cooper whose design dates back 50 years, and of course the gray shingled houses that look the same today as they did in the 1700s, create the nostalgia you may be seeking.

One of my favorite movies, and soundtracks, is "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve. It takes place in Mackinaw Island which is another one of those places, like Nantucket Island where yesteryear is the theme. It is fitting, that the only clothing stores on Nantucket that are part of a national chain, are Polo Ralph Lauren, and Lily Pulitzer. Everything else is a little shop where you get to know the owner after living here for a couple of months, just like in the town where you were raised. So if you want to step back in time to a place where you can ride a bike everywhere, live and shop in buildings from previous centuries, and dress like you did when you were a child in a similar seaside town, come to Nantucket, but bring your wallet 'cause the prices have changed a little.