S and I went to the dentist. Seriously. We flew into town, went to the dentist the first day, will watch fireworks the second day, and will get married on the third.

If you ever need a dentist in Milwaukee, ask me. I know who you should see.

Taken: Renaca, Chile February 2008

Taken: April 2008 in AZ at Mary’s wedding

This morning my Grandmother left us and here is what I am happy for:

• She out lived the doctors expectations by 15 months.
• She was never in pain; if she had to take any pain meds, it was usually just Tylenol.
• She never felt alone; she had family who visited her daily and other kids who flew in often.
• I was gainfully unemployed for 9 months and got to spend much of that time with her.

I am a huge fan of the show Criminal Minds. My two favorite characters are Penelope Garcia and Dr. Spencer Reid. I love the insights, random facts, and questions that they give. For example, this passage really struck me:

Prentiss: These guys are killing the Cleavers.
Reid: Strange.
Hotch: The pattern?
Dr. Reid: No, the Cleavers. Of all the names for a 1950s idyllic TV family. I mean it’s rife with violent implication. Kind of makes you wonder how the writers really felt about suburbia, huh?

See?  I had never made the connection and now I want to go back and see if the writers were implying sarcasm in their treatment of the “perfect American family” or were at least aware of the massive stereotypes and falsehoods they were promoting.

Say your wedding was coming up. Think– very low key, non-traditional, 70 people in a small Indian restaurant. Say you are thinking of making a mixed tape for music, dancing, hanging-out time post meal. What music would you play? We want specific song suggestions here people.

Thank you very much.

As taken from the Latin American Herald Tribune:

Senior Chilean Cops Fired for Links to Prostitution

SANTIAGO – President Michelle Bachelet’s government fired four high-ranking members of Chile’s PDI investigative police for alleged ties to a prostitution ring that exploited underage girls.

Among the officers forced into early retirement is Hector Soto Candia, the PDI’s erstwhile inspector-general, who was in charge of probing allegations of police involvement made by one of the victimized girls in October 2007.

The PDI chiefs in Santiago and the coastal city of Valparaiso were also ousted.

Last Friday, the PDI suspended five of the six detectives mentioned in a television expose of police links to the prostitution operation managed by Carlos Parra Ruis, known as “Charly.”

The PDI acted within days of the airing on Chile’s Channel 13 television of a documentary, “Charly’s Angels,” detailing alleged police collusion with the pimp.

Channel 13 launched its investigation after hearing from former police deputy inspector Hector Guzman, who claims he was fired for investigating Charly.

The broadcaster said that several police detectives were regular customers at the two brothels run by Charly: the Hotel Louisiana and the Cabaret Pandemonium, both in Valparaiso.

Those detectives were allegedly protecting Charly’s operation, taking payment in the form of sessions with drugged girls.

Some of the girls also said they were taken to the police barracks to have sex with officers.

While the prostitution ring was eventually broken up by PDI officers from the Santiago division assigned to Valparaiso, Channel 13 said that neither police leadership nor prosecutors were willing to investigate the charges about cops’ collusion with Charly.

The television program prompted the Human Rights Committee in the lower house to summon Defense Minister Francisco Vidal, PDI director Arturo Herrera and Deputy Police Secretary Ricardo Navarrete to testify on the scandal.

On Monday, Deputy Interior Secretary Patricio Rosende said that given the “explosion of charges” which followed the Channel 13 expose, prosecutors had been asked to “get to the bottom of the matter, to exhaustively investigate and do it quickly.”

Whenever you I move to a new place, I like to get to know the neighborhood both through research and through exploration. I try and talk to my neighbors. I smile at people on the streets. I walk my dog in different directions and look into the house windows.

My sister, the ever helpful person she is, sent me this video to further my understanding of the neighborhood. It is hilarious. Also, true. I have passed many of these places and noted many of the same phenomenon. S also loved the video. With his growing English, he was cracking up during parts of it and has continued to reference it throughout the day.

Enjoy.

Taken: Russia, July 2004
Sometimes you have to wonder how you have gotten yourself wherever it is that you are.

DSC04452, originally uploaded by coming2cambodia.

Taken: Nisporeni Moldova in a celebration for World Children’s Day

Note: You have to know the moves to make things work. I clearly do not know the moves for working with internet companies. We are still unconnected and will be through early next week. Also, I have a growing dislike for American phone companies and Internet companies.