Amazing night in Seattle politics

Huge progressive vote in Seattle tonight. Mayor's race is a toss up. Mike McGinn, with very little money but with an electrically-assisted bike, virtually tied with Joe Mallahan. Licata holds on. O'Brien beats Rosencrantz. Yes to a big levy for low-income housing. Looking farther, King County picks the self-described progressive who called his opponent a Republican. Gay rights gain in statewide election, one of the more significant votes in the nation. Tim Eyman hammered.

Whatever may have happened elsewhere, Washington State stayed blue.

Will man bite shark? Or will it taste like chicken?

KOTA KINABALU -- Last night, we saw one of the most amazing fish markets ever, just two blocks from our hotel. Surrounding a vast collection of restaurant tables were fish tanks containing every imaginable critter that lives in water: clams, oysters, groper, lobster, etc. And yes, Shark.

I liked the idea of turning tables on those cold-blooded creeps, but if shark taste anything like dogfish, forgettaboutit.

I took a video of one little sharkey trying to find an exit from the water tank.

Almost marooned in Borneo

KOTA KINABALU -- Dark clouds were approaching the harbor at noon today when I took a launch out to Sapi Island. I swam a bit in the warm water and watched exotic fish wiggle around the corral. (One irate fish attacked me, no doubt an escapee from the fish-chew-feet salon in Kuala Lumpur.)

The clouds overhead got darker, and thicker, then dumped rain. Then came lightening. Shuttle service to Kota Kinabalu was shut down because of the risk. Were we all about to die? And how long till Sally and Michaela, shopping for knick knacks in town, would notice my absence?

Naturally, I panicked, fearful I would spend the rest of my days semi-alone on a desert island, stranded in solitude but for several dozen Japanese, Australians and French, plus a small restaurant with cases of cookies, chocolate and ice cream. No matter, panic crawled up my spine like a poisonous crustacean (I've been reading cheap novels). I looked around for a volley ball which I could name Wilson, while I made plans for losing weight, growing a beard and preparing for "Castaway II: the Sunburned Edition."

Recalling survival training I took in high school, I kept calm, placed my clothes where they would dry, developed a strategy for making fire and cooking fish. And yes, I ate a chocolate bar.

With an hour, the storm had passed and I had not starved. I might have gained a pound. Even so, I faced down the THREAT of the IDEA of death. Attached is an image of Sapi Island.

Blogging blather from Ubud

UBUD, Bali -- On our last night in Ubud, Sally and I brought the lap top and connected to the world wide web. In this exotic destination, for dinner we had chicken sandwiches. Don't you just love globalization?

I've come to realize that Ubud as some fabled destination for old-style spiritual awakening is a tad overstated, what with Rolling Stones music blaring from a nightclub and a Ralph Lauren Polo Shop just down the way on Monkey Forest Road. Perusing the local nightclub listings, I find that Ubud is one of Bali's top places to party. The hamlet is overrun with small motor bikes and cars driven by men offering you a ride. Auto fumes drifts into the restaurants. "Taxi?"

Monkey Madness!

UBUD, BALI -- Dawn in Ubud brings some unusual guests. A family of Monkeys climbed to our 2nd story room and walked about our balcony looking for food.

One large male picked up a container of water and growled at Sally when she ordered him to put it down. Having established his rank, he then ignored her, calmly unscrewed the cap and drank.

Sally woke me up and I caught on tape other members of the group.

The view from our room

UBUD, BALI -- Sally and I are now in Ubud, a town known for its artistic and spiritual character.

Proof? Mick Jagger supposedly stayed here, but not in this congested little burb but likely out in the countryside, where 5-star hotels were built for sophisticates with bank accounts.

Shown here is a photo from the balcony of our room, overlooking the pool at our hotel.

In the Department of Pandemics, I'm still feeling the ill effects of my respiratory infection.

Two feet in heaven

BALI -- Those are not Brad Pitts' feet, though the confusion is common and understandable.