You already know: big earthquake in Peru today.  So far (around midnight), over 70 dead, almost 700 injured.

We get ATV‘s North American service on the dish, so I recorded tonight’s programming.  Estoy aprendiendo español anyhow, and I was curious to see how a crisis like this gets covered in Peru as opposed to the US and elsewhere.

Pretty much what you’d expect, at least for a while: two studio anchors fielding calls from government officials and experts, cutting back and forth to field reporters showing the most vivid footage they could find, which in turn was repeated almost continuously once discovered.

Then, even while casualty numbers continued to rise, the news coverage… stopped.

You see, ATV is also home to the highest-rated gossip show in the country, Magaly TeVe.  With all the latest urgent celebrity news.  And obviously you can’t preempt that.

Once these unmissable tidbits were over, however, ATV went back to informing their fellow Peruvians about the damage across the coast, loss of power and water facilities, and mounting civilian casualties.

Nosotros todos tenemos nuestras prioridades.

Back in Los Angeles for about 36 hours before another trip abroad, with pics to come, as always.

Gotta update the recent post about my Portland visit, though. In all my travels, I have never had so many readers deluge me with unexpected invites and kind notes as you guys in Portland just whapped me with. Nothing even close. I’ll try to return every note when I get the chance on return from this next trip, and for now please accept my blown-away thanks.

I’ll have to visit again soon, stay longer, and hang out. I knew I already had friends in the area. Apparently I just didn’t realize how many. Wow. Thank you. Back atcha.

As to where I’m headed next, two words: Puffin Cam.

Duuuude… you’re, like, tripping me out.

Duuuude… you’re, like, tripping me out.

Sitting in Stumptown on Belmont. Visiting an old friend from Ohio. Finally getting started on a comic book series I’ve been trying to find time to write for the last several years. Enjoying the free WiFi that seems to be everywhere, drinking an imported Mexican Coke with real sugar after two lattes. (I’ve had enough caffeine that my skin may peel clean off any second, but that’s nothing unusual. Caffeine is my favorite molecule.)

Outside, the homes all have porches and the traffic is thin and the air is clear and the people may wave when you walk down the street. I had an incredible dinner last night (more shortly on that, too, when the restaurant’s website is done), and later on we’re heading to Powell’s and probably a show or just a long walk in the park.

Unless you are happy exactly where you are, whatever you do, do not visit Portland. Not for a day. You will be tempted to start rethinking your life.