Your week in weird

[pjthompson]

I'd seen stories about lost civilizations in the Amazon before on Discovery or History or one of those cable channels: the "garden cities" mentioned in this article. But it looks like the civilizations were far more complex and widespread. What was fascinating about those shows was that the journal of the first Spanish explorer to go up the Amazon told of fabulous cities. He escaped with his life but most of his men died and when the Spanish returned several years later, there was no trace of any such civilizations. He was branded a liar until recent archaeology proved that he didn't exaggerate at all. Scientists believe that the diseases he and his men carried wiped out thousands of indigenous people and the jungle reclaimed their civilization.

Do you think kitchen chores are endless, never completely done, a continuum that has been the one constant of your domestic life? You have no idea just how long that continuum has gone on.

My only comment: I hope they washed this before they stuck it in the box.

The Autry Museum is something of a cultural treasure here in L.A. I was skeptical when Gene Autry funded it, but he wanted it to be a serious museum taking on serious issues about the West, the Native American experience, and colonization, stretching that definition quite broadly. They've had some great shows. This "transgender" exhibit looks to be no exception.

I know this winter seems bad, but hopefully it won't be like the Great White Hurricane.

Yeah? And your point is?