A magnificent day, nothing quite like it. I make note of such weather because it is relatively infrequent, rain and wind being our fare here in the mid Atlantic. I stepped out during an early afternoon break to catch some rays. After just five minutes I appreciated the sun’s intensity and ducked for the shade even though the temp was 8C.

A fellow at work was beaming when he told me that he received DVDs of old Perry Mason television programs. He’s really into this, very simple and genuine in his appreciation of that genre. Though not my cup of tea, I enjoy listening to the way he takes such pleasure in them.

So, Saturday is The Big Day here in Iceland, voting. A friend of the Framsokn party…in power now but may be voted out…told me to visit party HQ as well as their chief rival. He confirmed that free eats will be offered, and since I visited Framsokn with him Monday, no problem about getting some grub.

I began a re-read of Richard Rubenstein’s Aristotle’s Children. Often I like to pick up again a book I’ve read 2-3 years ago which made an impression then to see how it registers now. Very good, this just after 30 pages. Rubenstein puts it well at the beginning of Chapter One: “It is hard not to think of 12th century Spain as a scholar’s paradise. The picture that comes to mind is that of a broad table, well lit by candles, on which are spread out dozens of manuscripts written in Syriac, Aramaic, Arabic, Hebrew and Greek. Around the table, poring over the manuscripts, taking notes or conversing animatedly are bearded Jews, tonsured Christian monks, turbaned Muslims and dark-haired Greeks.” The author continues by spelling out the magnitude of what rediscovery of ancient mss. by Arabs meant for the West. Not just that, but given the current “war on terror” which translates implicitly as war on (militant) Islam, it’s nice to see what can be. That is, wouldn’t it be great if such a climate could come into existence today, even in small enclaves around the world.